


The Hunger Games

by eternalfire123



Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:28:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 134,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternalfire123/pseuds/eternalfire123
Summary: Valerian “Val” Everdeen: the Boy on Fire, Victor of the 74th Hunger Games, the Mocking Jay, and older brother of Katniss and Primrose Everdeen. Before he was all these things, he was Cato Evans, the boy from District 2. And this is his story of life, love, loss, survival, and fighting for something more precious than the glory of the Games.
Relationships: Cato & Clove (Hunger Games), Cato & Katniss Everdeen, Cato & Peeta Mellark, Cato & Primrose Everdeen, Cato/Gale Hawthorne, Gale Hawthorne & Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen & Gale Hawthorne, Katniss Everdeen & Primrose Everdeen, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902667
Comments: 29
Kudos: 39





	1. From 2 to 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! How’s everyone doing today? Before we begin, thank you for taking the time to choose my story to read. I really appreciate the support you give by reading my fic and hopefully leaving feel-good or constructive comments afterwards. 
> 
> I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. For example, you can say “This is a bad story” as long as you follow it up with why you think so like “the story makes no sense here or the characters suck because of this.” Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for choosing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. Basically, I do not own the Hunger Games no matter how much I wish I did. Thank you and please do not sue.
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

“I’ve already told you before, I’m not allowing my child to be entered into the academy!” 

Cayden Evans, a tall, fair skinned and well-toned man with dirty blonde hair and sharp blue-grey eyes stands with his arms crossed and body completely tense as he stares down the trio of District 2 Peacekeepers who look a second away from either hauling his ass off to prison or running away crying for their mamas. 

The lead Peacekeeper, Darrien, a wiry man with a rat-like face and sickly complexion, exudes an air of confident smugness despite the fact that he trembles slightly before the intimidation that oozes off the former victor.

“Now now Mr. Evans, the law is the law,” Darrien speaks with a very obvious placating tone, “Just because you are a former victor does not mean that your family is somehow automatically exempt from following the laws set in place by President Snow.”

Cayden throws his arm out in anger, “Screw Snow! I’m not gonna let him destroy my son like he destroyed me!”

“Mr. Evans, please,” Darrien tries again, voice trembling slightly. He’s slowly and subtly stepping back from Cayden who grows angrier with each passing second. The other two Peacekeepers train their guns on Cayden but with clear hesitation. They’re still trying to decide between fight or flight and whether it’s worth risking their lives to back up their rat of a leader.

Darrien waves them off but they only slightly lower their guns, stances still tense and ready to fire. 

“Mr. Evans. This is your final warning. You must enter your son into the Academy by his 10th birthday or we will be forced to punish your family accordingly.” Darrien commands, attempting to puff himself up and show that he was not scared shitless of Cayden even though it was obvious to anyone watching that he’d prefer to be anywhere but here.

Cayden only grits his teeth in annoyance at Darrien’s pathetic attempt to take control of the situation. He takes a step forward now coming face to face with Darrien. He looms over like a deadly shadow as Darrien leans back with fear now clear on his face.

“Go ahead and try,” Cayden snarls before stepping back through the doorway of his home.

“Now get off my property!” Cayden slams the door shut with a resounding bang. Darrien and the two Peacekeepers flee in fright at the sound.

Cayden breathes heavily with anger and frustration still coursing through his body. He leans against the door and brings his hands up to rub at his face. The adrenaline turns into exhaustion.

“What am I going to do?” He asks himself as the weight of the situation finally settles in.

“Daddy?” 

Cayden looks up to see his 9, soon to be 10, year old son, Cato Evans, standing with uncertainly in his pajamas at the bottom of the staircase nearby. He immediately smooths his expression to replace his exhaustion with the usual happiness of seeing his son.

“Hey buddy. What’re you doing up so late?” Cayden says as he moves to pick up Cato who raised his arms for a hug, “Shouldn’t you be asleep by now.”

“Heard you shouting,” Cato says as he buries his head into the crook of his father’s shoulder, “Wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Cayden stiffens at Cato’s words and he can only look at his son with a hint of regret in his eyes. His son, still so young, so innocent, so…ignorant of the darkness that constantly surrounded them. A darkness that was hidden by the pristine and brilliant structures of District 2 combined with a hanging oppression weighing down on citizen’s shoulders masked by smiles that never fully reached anyone’s eyes with the exception of those who had already fallen to the thrall of the Capitol. 

“You don’t have to worry about me, Cato,” Cayden said comfortingly despite the tightening embrace he gives his son, “It was just that mean old Darrien coming by again to try and get you to join the Academy.”

“But what’s so bad about that?” Cato says as he frowns at his dad, “Every kid’s supposed to join when they’re 10 right? Then we’re supposed to try and volunteer for the Games cause it’s an honor to win them. And I wanna be a winner like you dad!”

Cayden loosens his hold to lean back and hold Cato by his shoulders.

“Cato, my son, my sunshine, my little warrior,” Cayden says as he smiles softly. 

“Dad...” Cato whines out as he giggles.

Cayden’s smile drops but his expression remains soft yet firm, “The Academy is no place for a child such as yourself and the Games. 

Cayden takes a shuddering breath in, “No matter what the Capitol may say, they do NOT give you honor you can be proud of.”

Cato tries to protest, “But dad-”

Cayden cuts him off, “No, Cato. No buts.”

His expression changes, betraying a tiredness that does not come from a physical exhaustion but a mental one. Cato quiets down as he notes the change in his dad’s expression.

“I thought the same when I was your age,” Cayden says as he gazes off into a distant past he wished he could forget, “I wanted the glory, the honor, the fame that came from winning. And then one day, I got the chance too.”

Cayden turns his gaze back to Cato, “But I didn’t realize the sacrifices that had to be made to win.”

“What kind of sacrifices?” Cato asked.

Cayden paused for a moment as if to gauge what Cato’s reaction would be before responding.

“I had to sacrifice my humanity. I had to surrender what made me, me. In that arena, I didn’t fight to win, I clawed my way through to survive.”

Cayden’s grief and exhaustion begin to shine through as he continues to speak.

“In that arena, I learned that I was not a man seeking glory for himself, but a child forced to kill other children so that I might live to see another day.”

Cayden’s hands tighten their grip on Cato’s shoulders. 

“There is no glory in killing other children and there will never be a Victor of the Hunger Games. Do you understand what I’m saying Cato?”

Cato can only nod as the seriousness of his dad’s words settle in, seeping into his bones and wiggling their way into his mind. He might not fully understand the meaning yet, but his mind still grasps the heavy weight behind them.

Cayden nods in response and moves to stand. He brings Cato up with him, his left arm under Cato’s legs, supporting his weight and allowing him to lean against his dad’s shoulder. 

“Now, I think we’ve had enough serious talk for tonight,” Cayden says, “It’s time for you to sleep. Tomorrow’s a school day afterall.”

Cato nods sleepily, suddenly exhausted as the weight of his dad’s words were heavier than any child should have to carry. He rests his head back on his dad’s shoulder and dozes off as Cayden carries him back upstairs with a gentle but sad smile.

~A Week Later~

Cato was excited as he bounced down the sidewalk on the way back to his home after another long day at school. Sure there were more long lectures about the history of the Hunger Games and the glory one would achieve through victory and he got into a fight with that jerk, Kai, who thought he was hot shit just cause his dad was the victor of the bloodiest Hunger Games in history. 

He hated Kai cause he always thought he was entitled to everything, including his best friend Clove. Which was ridiculous cause Clove was her own person who didn’t belong to anyone and knew all the best knife tricks but that didn’t stop Kai from starting another fight after seeing Clove give Cato a leather friendship bracelet for his birthday.

That’s right, his birthday. And just like that, all thoughts about school and that jerk were gone. He was finally 10, the age in which all children were mature enough to choose which path they want to take in life whether it be going to the Career Academy or becoming a functioning member of District 2. 

After that seriously heavy talk with his dad last week, Cato decided he'd rather be an apprentice to one of the professions in the District rather than become a career who liked killing other kids like him. And hey, he could always cheer on Clove if she ever succeeded in volunteering. Her knife skills were scary enough to make all the other tributes forfeit by default.

Cato’s pace picks up as his house comes into sight and he hurriedly runs up the steps to the front door. He quickly opens the door and is greeted with the sight of all his relatives from both sides of the family jumping out of various hiding spots to shout “Happy Birthday Cato!”

Cato grins widely as all his relatives – grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins – come up and give him hugs and pats on the back in congratulations for turning 10. Finally, the sea of relatives parts to reveal his dad holding a large birthday cake with a wide smile on his face.

His dad walks up to him and holds the cake in front of his face. 

“Make a wish,” his dad says and now that he is closer, Cato can see that his eyes hold a sadness that makes his smile seem wistful. A knot grows in his stomach at the sight but he instead grins widely in an attempt to make the sadness go away.

Cato stares at the burning candles before closing his eyes and silently wishing, “I wish my family will always be happy and protected and that dad will be able to smile like he used to.”

He blows the candles out and opens his eyes as everyone claps and cheers, immediately moving towards the cake and the food already laid out on tables throughout the house. Cato moves to join his cousins in the living room but his dad reaches out to grab his shoulder.

“Before you run off son,” his dad said, “I need to give you something first.”

“Ok dad,” Cato agrees, following his father out of the house and into the backyard.

The two make their way through the gardens before stopping in front of a large tree. Cato watches as his dad places a hand on the tree with another wistful smile.

“Your mother would be so proud of how you’ve grown son,” his dad said.

“Really?” he asked.

His dad nodded and turned to him, pulling a small object out of his pocket. Upon closer inspection, the object turned out to be a small gold pin in the shape of a mockingjay with an arrow held in its mouth. 

“This was your mother’s,” his father said as he took his hand and placed the pin in it, “And now it is yours. Be sure to treasure it and it will always keep you safe.”

Cato closes his hand around the pin and nods, tears gathering in his eyes. The two embrace as if hoping that the world will never be cruel enough to tear them apart like it tore away his mom. His beautiful mother who had a stubborn streak one hundred miles long and a fiery passion that never burned out no matter how hard the Capitol tried.

Unfortunately the moment is ruined when shouts are heard from the inside of the house. Father and son jump apart in shock when the shouts are followed by gunshots that ring throughout for what seems like eternity before an eerie silence follows. 

The door to the backyard slams opens and reveals Darrien with a disgustingly smug grin that’s all teeth and gum. A troop of Peacekeepers follows him out, some with uniforms splattered with blood. Cato’s dad holds him close as Darrien walks forward with a swagger with a sure confidence that’s never shown itself before.

“Well, well, well,” Darrien says, “Look what we have here. A traitor to the Capitol and his whelp. It’s a shame you didn’t listen to me, Cayden. Maybe then we wouldn’t have had to resort to such drastic measures.”

His dad growls, “What did you do Darrien?”

Darrien crosses his hands behind his back. His grin somehow growing even more smug.

“Oh nothing. Just been ordered to do a little pest extermination.”

His dad moves to lunge at him but stops when the Peacekeepers raise their guns. 

“Uhbupbup,” Darrien shakes a finger at his dad, “You wouldn’t want us to kill your last living family now would you?”

“Why are you doing this?” Cayden growled out.

Darrien’s expression grows stormy, “Why why indeed? Maybe it’s because you’ve been a thorn in my side ever since our academy days.”

Darrien starts to pace back and forth as he continues to rant, “You always had to be the best at everything. The best at combat, the best in class, the best couple with the best girl of the academy, and then a victor of the Hunger Games.”

“You had everything that I always wanted and what do you do with it?” Darrien points an accusing finger at his dad, “You decide to grow a conscience and try to get in the way of the Capitol.”

“What are you talking about?” his dad demands.

Darrien raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “You seriously didn’t think that we wouldn’t find out about all your illicit activities did you?” 

His expression turns sinister, “Why do you think your wife died so suddenly while she was receiving treatment in the hospital?”

His dad’s complexion turns ashen, “Wh-what? But we were told-”

Darrien waves him off dismissively, “Yes yes you were told that it was a bad reaction to the treatment and that she died rather suddenly before the doctors could do anything.”

He smiles maniacally and even giggles a little, albeit slightly unhinged, “You’ll be happy to know that she died rather painfully in the end. Her suffering was drawn out and her last words were to curse you as the light finally left her eyes.”

Cato is shaken by his words as his dad moves to lash out at Darrien again, “You lie!”

The peacemakers train their guns onto him, forcing his dad to back down.

“You won’t get away with this Darrien,” his dad says as he moves to hold Cato closer. 

Darrien gives a slimy smirk of triumph, “But I already have Cayden. Now you must decide. Give your son to the Career Academy or watch as we kill him and leave you to pick up the pieces.” 

He waves dismissively, “Your choice.”

Cato shivers in fear as his dad clutches him more tightly. After a moment, his dad lets go of his hold to move his grip to Cato’s shoulders. He crouches down so that they’re face to face with each other. His dad stares at him, committing each detail of his face to memory as if it’ll be the last time they see each other. 

His dad pulls him into another embrace as he whispers into his ear, “Cato, son. I know so much is happening right now but you have to run. Make your way to the station, hop on a train, and then don’t get off until you’ve gone as far away from District 2 as you possibly can.”

“But dad,” Cato tries to whisper back in protest.

His dad tightens his embrace, “No. Don’t. You will run and live to fight another day. I wasn’t able to protect your mother or our family, but I can protect you.”

His dad moves his grip to Cato’s face and kisses his forehead. 

He smiles sadly, “Remember to live and fight another day. And if you manage to find something worth living and fighting for, all the better. I love you son and never forget that your mother and I will always be proud of you.”

“Well?” Darrien says impatiently, “Have you made a decision yet?”

His dad stands and moves in front of him, blocking Cato from the Peacekeepers’ line of fire. 

“Yeah I’ve made a decision,” his dad says, “And it’s for you to go to hell!”

Darrien sneers, “I was hoping you would say that. Peacekeepers! Aim and fire at will! Leave no survivors!”

The Peacekeepers raise their guns as his dad turns to Cato and yells, “Run, Cato, run!”

Cato turns and runs like a bat out of hell, rushing through the yard and scrambling up the fence in the back. As he straddles the fence, he chances a glance back as the Peacekeepers pull their triggers, striking his dad multiple times before he finally falls, bloody and broken. 

Cato looks away as his eyes tear up. He hears Darrien shout for the Peacekeepers to kill him prompting Cato to jump down and pick up the pace before the Peacekeepers can pursue him. His vision blurs with more tears as he runs through streets and alleys, trying to blend in with the crowd and reach his destination as quickly as possible.

Finally after what seemed like hours of running, Cato’s vision clears up enough to see that he has reached the cargo loading section of the train station. He looks around as he tries to find an appropriate train before he catches sight of a car with a large 12 stamped on the side and the door wide open.

Cato quickly rushes over and climbs in as the sounds of Darrien and the Peacekeepers grow closer. He tries to hide himself in the shadows, curling up as much as possible as Darrien’s enraged shouts grow louder and closer to the car he hides in.

Fortunately, Lady Luck smiles upon him and the car moves with a lurch as the train begins chugging off to its destination. As the train picks up speed, the shouts of Darrien grow smaller and smaller until finally, he can no longer hear him. 

Only then does Cato finally relax and give into the sweet embrace of sleep as the exhaustion of the day’s events sink in.

~A Few Hours Later~

Cato awakes with a jolt when he feels the train lurch to a stop just outside the forests of District 12. He sits up with a panic when he hears the sounds of Peacekeepers shouting and searching for something in the train cars.

Cato slowly crawls out of his hiding place and peeks outside the car to see that the Peacekeepers were still a bit of ways away. He looks towards the forest and decides to just screw it and jumps off the car, rushing for the dense forest before any Peacekeepers notice him.

He doesn’t know how long he runs, seeking some form of shelter with his heart pounding at the thought that a Peacekeeper may have spotted his escape and was currently pursuing him through the forest. By the time he spots a cave hidden behind some natural foliage, the sun has already begun to set. 

Cato makes his way cautiously into the cave, only relaxing when he sees no wild animals within. He collapses onto the stone floor, exhaustion once again getting the better of him. 

Cato stares at the pin his dad gave him, the only memento left of his mother and now father as well. His eyes close as he slowly falls asleep to thoughts of an uncertain future plaguing his mind but the current feeling of safety reassures him that at least he’ll survive and live to fight another day.

~In the Capitol~

President Snow sits contently at his desk with a glass of red wine that looks especially bloody in the light cast by an extravagant chandelier made of only the finest crystals found in Panem. 

He takes a slow sip as a Peacekeeper finishes giving his daily status report.

“And what of the Evans family?” Snow asks.

“Based on Peacekeeper Darrien’s report, the entire family has been eliminated,” the Peacekeeper reports.

Snow smiles wickedly as he takes another sip, “Excellent. Finally, the last shred of resistance has been squashed. And now, I may finally rest easy now that the peace shall truly remain undisturbed.”

Snow waves the Peacekeeper off, “You are dismissed.”

The Peacekeeper salutes, “For the glory of Panem!” 

He leaves the room as Snow reaches for a strawberry from the crystal container on his elaborate white marble desk.

He takes a large bite and smiles. His teeth are stained a bloody red.

“For the glory of Panem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. Finally managed to finish writing this a while ago. I hope the change in story and writing aren’t throwing you all for a loop. I’ve been experimenting with my writing recently and my style might be a bit skewed cause I’ve been working on writing stories and screenplays at the same time. 
> 
> Also, apologies for any grammar errors, if anyone wants to be my beta that would be hella awesome. Just PM me and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Please review and comment on what you liked, if there’s anything you’d like to see, or if there’s anything I can improve. Thanks for reading and continuing to support me despite my past writing track record. I wish you y’all a great day!


	2. Months of Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a rough few months for Cato. After all, how does a 10 year old expect to survive by themselves, alone, in a rather large forest, with no sign of civilization for miles, and with the never ending fear of being found by the Capitol while mourning for their dead family. But hey, at least things might just be changing for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! How’s everyone doing today? Hope things are going well for everyone and if not, I hope this story can lift your spirits up even a little despite the fact that this is a Hunger Games fic and not something more bright and uplifting. 
> 
> Anyways, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. For example, you can say “This is a bad story” as long as you follow it up with why you think so like “the story makes no sense here or the characters suck because of this.” Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I would also appreciate positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. Basically, I do not own the Hunger Games. Thank you and please do not sue.
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

It’s been a rough few months for Cato. 

Well maybe rough was a bit of an understatement if he thought about it. But he usually tried to NOT think about it cause if he did, then the circumstances that lead to said rough year would begin to encroach on his mind and fill his body with the heavy feelings of anxiety and depression.

After all, how does one expect to survive by themselves at the tender age of 10, alone, in a rather large forest, with no sign of civilization for miles, and with the never ending fear of being found by the Capitol thus destroying all of their dad’s hard work on making sure they survived while mourning for their dead family.

So yeah, it was a rough few months.

Emotional trauma aside, most of said roughness came from the surviving part. 

It was hard figuring out how to survive by himself in a forest. He knew the theory behind it, had been taught all the technicalities in school, and his dad even taught him some tricks. 

But District 2 was the district of masonry. That meant rocks, metal, more rocks, and more metal. There wasn’t a lot of greenery being cultivated within the district. Even the Victor’s Village was only dotted with the occasional trees, shrubs, and gardens.

A lot of his attempts at survival came down to trial and error held together with a quick prayer that he wouldn’t die from stupidity.

His first attempt at making a fire ended with a lot of branches being snapped before the sheer force of his frustration finally, FINALLY, created a spark that led to his first warm night in a week.

_7-year-old Cato crouched next to his dad, watching wide-eyed as his dad demonstrated, step-by-step how to make a fire without tools._

_“The most important rule of fire making is to always have tinder,” his dad instructed._

_“There are many things that can be used as tinder, such as paper and clothe. But the most readily available items that can be used are leaves, grass, tree bark, and small twigs. Of course, they all have to be completely dry or there’s no chance of a spark catching it on fire.”_

_Cato nods as his dad holds up each example of tinder that he had just listed, doing his best to commit the knowledge to memory._

_“Once you’ve got your tinder, place it on the pile of dry branches that you collected,” his dad said as he handed some dry leaves and twigs for Cato to put on top of a small pile of branches that they’d collected from the small cluster of trees in their backyard._

_Cato carefully places the tinder on the branches as his dad watches in amusement._

_“Good,” his dad praised, “Now that you got your tinder, here comes the “fun” part.”_

_His dad hands him another branch._

_“Let’s see if you’ve got enough patience to start a fire before your mama comes out and makes your daddy sleep on the couch again,” his dad says with a wide grin._

_Cato giggles as he puts the branch onto the v-shaped notch his dad carved out. He starts spinning the branch as quickly as he can but stops when he hears the back door open._

_“What is going on out here?” his mom says as she stands at the doorway like an avenging goddess though the image is a bit ruined by her messy blonde hair and the scorch marked apron tied around her waist._

_He and his dad only stare as she registers the scene before her. Not even a second later, his mom pushes her sleeves up and marches toward his dad. She’s a woman on a warpath and nothing, not even his sheepishly pleading dad was going to stop her._

_“Now now honey,” his dad tries to say in an almost pleading tone, “I can explain.”_

_She stands menacingly over them with arms crossed, “Oh? So you aren’t teaching our 7 year old son how to make fire?”_

_“Ummm...” his dad tries to explain, “He has adult supervision?”_

_“You want to try again with that excuse,” his mom says, raising an eyebrow that makes his dad flinch._

_His dad turns to him, panicking, “Run Cato!”_

_Cato and his dad jump up from their crouches and rush towards the house._

_His mom shouts after them, “You get back here Cayden Evans or so help me you’re sleeping outside for the next week!”_

_The two laugh gleefully as they rush into the house with his mom stomping after them. It was one of his most cherished memories even though it ended in him being grounded till he was 30 and his dad sleeping outside in a tent till he had groveled to his mom enough to be let back in._

His attempts at getting food weren’t really the best either as he didn’t know how to make weapons or even traps for hunting and he wasn’t confident enough in his knowledge of local plants to gather enough to fill his stomach on a daily basis.

Luckily for him, after a month (based on the number of lines he had scratched onto one of the walls of the cave he now called home), Lady Luck decided to shine upon him and grant him the means of gathering his food.

How you might ask? By stalking a grown man and his young daughter.

Now this might sound like the set up for a restraining order but Cato employed his knowledge of moving unseen and unheard that he had spent years refining just to get that extra cookie behind his mom’s back or to get away from that jerk Kai who always seemed to know when he was hanging out with Clove. 

He had first stumbled upon the pair when he decided to spend the day exploring, hoping he could find a berry bush or some edible plants beyond the area near his cave.

While wandering around, Cato heard the sounds of people talking. Instead of giving into the paranoia of potentially getting caught by any Peacekeepers who for some reason decided to come out this way and running away like he should, Cato watched his steps and moved towards the sounds. And boy was he glad that he did.

_“And these clusters of plants here will grow Wild Strawberries in a few weeks,” a deep male voice said, “So make sure to remember what these flowers look like in case you come across more.”_

_“Okay daddy!” a young girl’s voice responded._

_Cato peers out from behind a large tree and sees a lively meadow with a lake nearby. Crouching near some clustered plants with flowers, was a tan, brown-haired, and grey eyed man that looked to be about his dad’s age patiently instructing a young girl with the same complexion as him._

_A pang of grief shoots through his heart. The smile, the patience, the general aura around the man as he looks down at the girl reminded Cato too much of his dad._

_“How many weeks before we can pick the strawberries daddy?” the girl asked._

_“Hmm. Let’s see,” the man jokingly contemplates as he looks through the leather bound book in his hand, “It’s been about 2 weeks since we saw the flowers bloom so according to this book-”_

_The man holds the book out to the girl who excitedly reads it’s contents, “That it will be ready in 2 to 4 weeks!”_

_The girl pouts, “But that’s so long daddy. I want to pick strawberries and give’em to mommy now!”_

_The man laughs and lifts the girl up, making her squeal in delight._

_“How about you and I go swimming and catch us some fish instead?” the man suggests, “That should make your mother happy enough till these berries finish growing.”_

_The girl continues to pout, “But daddy...we had fish last week too.”_

_The man puts her down and smiles indulging at her, “Well we can also go hunting too. It’s about time I teach you how to use a bow anyway.”_

_The girl cheers._

_“But that’ll have to wait until your older, say maybe your 9th or 10th birthday,” the man says, “I don’t need your mother on my case about teaching you something dangerous when you’re still too young.”_

_The girl boos._

_The man smiles, “Come on Katniss. Let’s go get your mother that fish.”_

_The two wander off to the lake, leaving behind the leather book. When he knows that they’re distracted enough catching fish, Cato darts from behind the tree and towards the book._

_He picks up the book and flips through it, amazed at the extensive knowledge of edible and medicinal plants that had been lovingly hand drawn and written on the worn parchment._

_Cato gets lost in the pages as he tries to absorb the knowledge, memorizing pictures and descriptions as quickly as he can._

_“Alright! I think that’ll be enough fish to last us for the next few days,” the man said._

_Cato panics and turns to see the man and girl pack up their load and start to make their way towards him. Thankfully they hadn’t seen him yet but he wasn’t taking any chances so without a second thought, Cato books it as quickly and quietly as he can to the trees._

_He doesn’t stop running until he reaches his cave and slumps against the rugged stonewall. After catching his breath, Cato opens his eyes and realizes that he was clutching the leather book in his hand._

_‘Oh shoot!’ he thought, ‘I didn’t mean to take the book!’_

_Cato began to panic again, wondering if he should go back to the meadow and drop the book off somewhere where it could be conveniently seen. But after thinking for a bit, he realized that he needed this book if he was going to be able to survive, especially when winter hit._

_‘I guess it can’t be helped,’ he thought, ‘I’m sorry but I really need this book. I hope I can make it up to you someday.’_

_Cato went to sleep that night with his burden lightened now that he had a tangible guide on how to survive, never knowing that the man had spotted him running away before working to placate his daughter that he would make another guide to teach her with._

That guide had been great help in alleviating the stress that Cato had burdened himself with when he tried brainstorming on how he was going to survive. He had been able to forage enough plants and roots to ration throughout the winter period, though he did lose enough weight to start being concerned about how thin he was becoming. Still, what did one expect when all they had to eat for a couple months was berries, flowers, shoots, and roots?

Luck shined down upon him again when Cato decided to venture towards the meadow area again in hopes that the man and his daughter would provide more tools that would increase his chances of survival.

He had chanced upon the man teaching his daughter how to use the bow and arrow. He watched intently as the man went through each motion with great attention to detail, mimicked her father through her stance and actions. She was apparently still too young to use an actual bow.

He must have been very lucky that day as well considering that the man dragged his daughter over to the lake again to point at some white flowers growing along the lakeside, leaving behind the bow and a quiver of arrows.

Without a moment of hesitation, Cato darted out from behind the tree again and snatched up the bow and arrows before rushing away. Again, unknowing as the man watched him dart off before thinking of ways to placate his daughter of the inevitable complaints she’ll make after seeing another precious belonging of her father disappear.

Hunting took much time and care to understand, though thankfully the leather book Cato took also had a section on properly gutting, skinning, and cleaning animals and fish. And while he was trying to get the hang of hunting, Cato came across multiple traps and resolved to both study and steal from them until he could build his own. After all, he had a promise to fulfill and he was pretty sure whoever was building these traps could live without one or two rabbits. 

His snatch and learn approach totally worked until his luck ran out and he got caught. 

_Cato tried his best to study and memorize the intricacies of the trap lying before him. He was tempted to just take the whole thing and study it in his cave but a previous attempt at doing so dissuaded him from trying again._

_The less said about what happened, the better._

_Anyways, Cato was doing his best to memorize the surprising complicated trap before him. It looked simple. Just a bunch of branches with some rope looped around here and there. But the mechanisms upon closer examination were actually much more complicated and it wasn’t like he had anything to write down how a loop in the upper right corner led to a peg in the lower left corner, etc. etc. Still, he had to try or else whoever’s been building these traps would actually start to hunt down whoever’s stealing from them aka him. And he did not want that to happen._

_Unfortunately for him, it did._

_“Who the hell are you!” a voice shouted from behind him making Cato jump almost a foot in the year and nearly land on top of the trap._

_“Umm...Uhh...” was his intelligent response as Cato whirls around to see a young boy, probably around his age maybe even older, with a slightly muscular but thin build and the same tan skin, grey eyes as the man and girl from the meadow._

_The boy advances towards him scowling, “Are you the one who’s been stealing from my traps?”_

_Cato scrambles for a response but can’t as the boy gets up in his face. He can only stare as the boy’s steel grey eyes seem to pierce through his body and stare down at his soul. It makes him feel slightly hot as heat builds up within him from the embarrassment of getting caught. The fact that the boy managed to catch him unaware makes him both want to get to know this boy better and hide in his cave for the next century and not come out till he was sure no one, especially this boy, would ever be able to find him. Right now he was leaning more towards the latter option._

_With all the false bravado he can muster, Cato demands, “Well who the hell are you?”_

_The boy bristles like a wet cat, “I’m the guy these traps belong to!”_

_“Guy? What guy? I only see a kid here.”_

_The boy stomps like a petulant child, “Well you’re a kid too aren’t you? Now stop stealing my traps! My family needs the meat!”_

_For some reason, the word family seems to trigger some reaction within Cato. All the negativity that he had spent the past few months crying out came gushing forth again._

_“Well I need meat too! Do you even know how hard it is having to live out here by myself for months?”_

_The boy pauses and really, really looks at Cato who’s furiously rubbing at the tears welling up in his eyes._

_The boy loosens up but not enough that his suspicion cleared. Just enough that his expression changed from accusing to understanding and pity._

_Which immediately erased any embarrassment or negativity Cato felt cause god, he hated being looked at with pity._

_“I don’t need your pity,” Cato spat out at the boy._

_The boy holds his hands up in surrender, “Whoa. I wasn’t trying to pity you. Is that what it looked like?”_

_Cato glares._

_The boy sighs and rubs the back of his head with a look of contemplation._

_He holds his hand out, “My name’s Gale. What’s yours?”_

_Cato looks at the hand in suspicion before tentatively shaking it._

_“It’s Cato,” he responds._

_The boy, Gale, smiles. He crosses his hands behind his head and relaxes his posture._

_“So Cato...what’re you doing living out here in the forest? I don’t remember seeing you around the District or hearing about any runaway kids.”_

_Gale pauses and places a hand under his chin in a thinking pose, “Then again, you look like Townie. But what’s a Townie doing here? Finally slumming it like us lowly Seam folks?”_

_Cato just looks at Gale in confusion, “Townie? Seam? What’s that?”_

_Gale stares at him in shock. Then that shock turns to suspicion._

_Cato continues to be confused._

_The suspicion turns back to shock._

_“Wait. Seriously?” Gale asked, “You don’t know what the Seam is? Or a Townie?”_

_Cato shakes his head._

_“Where are you even from? Are you from another District? Did you grow up here in the forest?” the last question was asked with some giddiness._

_Cato just shuffles his feet, glaring down at his beat up shoes._

_Gale’s expression softens as he slowly connects the dots, “Hey. I’m not gonna rat you out to the Peacekeepers if that’s what you're worried about. Heck, they don’t really do anything except laze about and eat our food.”_

_Cato smiles at that. The thought of Darrien lounging about on a chair, fat and unable to get up comes to mind but it quickly disappears when the memory of what Darrien comes back and sours his mood._

_He looks up at Gale who looks so encouraging and hopeful. He sighs._

_“I’m from District 2,” Cato says, Gale visibly jolts at the answer, expression starting to turn sour before turning confused._

_“What’s a kid from 2 doing in the forests of 12?” he asks._

_Cato shifts uncomfortably before answering, “My family was killed by Peacekeepers cause my dad didn’t want to send me to the Academy.”_

_“The Academy?” Gales asks, “You mean the Career Academy?”_

_Cato nods. Gale looks thoughtful._

_“Why didn’t your dad want to send you there? I thought all the kids in the upper districts wanted to be careers in the games cause of the glory,” Gale spits out the last word, his opinion of the Careers and the Games abundantly clear._

_“I thought so too. But then my dad talked to me and now I don’t want to. He told me that he used to be like that too, wanting to win the games and all. But after he won, he realized that there was no glory in the Games. Only the struggle to survive,” Cato responds, “He said that even though people can win the games, they never actually really win if that makes sense.”_

_Gale hums, “Not really. But if your dad didn’t like the games then that means you’re alright.”_

_“Thanks?”_

_Gale smiles and slaps Cato on the back, “I like you Cato. Do you want to be friends?”_

_Cato looks at Gale with suspicion, “Friends?”_

_“Yeah. Friends.”_

_“What are you getting out of it?” Cato asks._

_Gale looks startled, “Huh?”_

_Cato crosses his arms and glares, “Why do you want to be friends? Not even a second ago, you looked like you wanted to attack me when I said I was from District 2.”_

_Now Gale is the one who shifts uncomfortably, “You just seem like a cool person. It also doesn’t hurt that you don’t want to be a Career tribute.”_

_Cato continues to glare._

_Gale throws his hands up in exasperation, “Alright fine. If you really want to be like that then how about I teach you how to make traps and get food and in return, you teach me all you know about living in the forest. Deal?”_

_Cato stares as Gale stretches out his hand to shake. He looks up and sees Gale’s grey eyes look pleadingly at him. His resolve starts to crumble. He has been feeling lonely lately. Just watching the man and his daughter aren’t enough to alleviate his loneliness. Afterall, humans are social creatures. Maybe this will help even though it seems like he’ll be getting more out of this friendship than Gale._

_“Fine,” Cato agrees, shaking Gale’s hand._

_“Alright,” Gale pumps his fist into the air, “I finally got a friend who’s my age and not a snot nosed brat like my little brother!”_

_Cato laughs at that as Gale grins at him._

Well, he made a friend so did his luck really run out? Who knows. He has more important things to think about. He’s definitely not thinking about Gale whenever he’s making his traps or shooting squirrels to make a more comfortable bed or when he’s nibbling on the bread Gale brings every time they meet up. Nope. Not him. 

Man, he needs to get out and run into more people if just to have someone else to talk to besides Gale.

Yep. It had been a rough year but there were many instances sprinkled throughout that made it much more bearable. 

The book and its life-saving knowledge of plants and animals.  
The bow and arrows and the skill it granted Cato that he greatly enjoyed.  
The traps and the companion, no, the friend, he had made from them.  
And even the memories as he watched the man and his daughter. Each interaction turning the mourning grief that hung heavy in his heart into bittersweet longing that weighed less on his shoulders.

Cato was content to live out the rest of his years, however many there may be, in that forest with only Gale and the man and his daughter for company.

He should have known that it wasn’t going to last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I had such a headache trying to figure out timelines and the ages of when all these things happened cause there aren’t that many canonical ages of the characters available and I just realized after writing the first draft of this that there were so… Rip. 
> 
> Also, why is it so hard to find the motivation to write? Like, I already have the whole thing outlined and I know what I want to write but I just don’t really feel like writing it most of the time. Whelp, I’m trying to start some new habits and shake off old ones. Finally getting to those New Years resolutions though at least. Better late than never! 
> 
> Again, apologies for any grammar errors. If anyone noticed any mistakes, please let me know. Please review and comment on what you liked, if there’s anything you’d like to see, or if there’s anything I can improve on. Thanks for reading and continuing to support me despite my super scattered writing schedule. I hope you y’all have a great day!


	3. A New Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, things did change for the better. The only way Cato had left to go (after hitting rock bottom from all that happened) is up, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing so far? I just saw the english dub trailer for Digimon: Last Evolution Kizuna and my heart was not forking ready! Like, I was fine in the beginning but once “Butterfly” started to play, I was gone. I’m shaking in my chair with more anticipation than when I watched the Kimetsu no Yaiba: Demon Train trailer. I don’t think I’ll have enough tissues ready when I finally watch this film cause Digimon was my childhood, man. Don’t get me wrong, I love Pokemon but the vibes between the two were always different for me. Like, if I had to explain how I feel about the two shows, I’d probably go with something like “I grew up WATCHING Pokemon but I grew up WITH Digimon.” Does that make any sense?
> 
> Anyways, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, that still belongs to Suzanne Collins, except for any of OC’s, worldbuilding, and plot points not in the books or movies. Thank you and please do not sue.
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Because “the incident” occurred on his previous birthday, Cato would never forget that date for as long as he lived. 

And if he was counting correctly, it was exactly six months before his birthday and for his life to change once again. 

For the better this time though, much to his absolute relief. 

_~ 6 Months after the Incident ~_

_It was November 8th._

_Exactly six months and the exact date after the day that changed his life forever._

_Cato was honestly not looking forward to the coming winter months at all. Though he was still surprised by the fact that he’s managed to live for a whole six months by himself in an environment completely different from his old home. Honestly though, he definitely preferred the forest and greenery of District 12 to the stone and polished metal of District 2. But he digresses…Again, the fact that he’s managed to survive, alone, at age 10, for six months, was a testament of...something._

_He was quite unsure of what that something was considering he had only just managed to get a hold on his trauma before suddenly, the six month anniversary of what caused it was upon him._

_It might not have been a whole year, but the impact was still heavily felt. So pardon him if he wasn’t feeling too much like doing anything but maybe staring at the rocky cave wall for the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing._

_Still, he needed to do something. Cause if he stopped and did nothing for much longer, he might not want to do anything ever again. And then where would he be? So Cato guesses he’ll go out on the excuse that he should probably start gathering more food and furs before it really started to get colder than he was used to and god forbid, SNOW._

_He shuddered at the thought of ice falling down through an already freezing cold sky. How could anyone ever live here, willing or not, he’ll never understand. Though maybe the trees and flowers have something to do with it. The air does feel clearer here and less weighted, but that might just be because there aren’t a hundred plus Peacekeepers roaming around to “keep the peace.”_

_Maybe he’ll seek Gale out and ask if he has any tips on how one survives the winter months on a nonexistent budget. He could also use the company which would definitely make the day more bearable. Then again, it might also bring back those indescribable feelings that weighed heavily in his stomach whenever Gale was around._

_Cato’s stomach growled and he shook his head free of those thoughts._

_‘Focus,’ he thought._

_‘If you’re going to do any surviving for the winter months, you need to get up off your sorry butt and go hunting and gathering. You should also take stock of how much you need to survive.’_

_Cato walked over to a small hollowed out area in the cave that he had taken to storing his food in and frowned at what was left - just a single loaf of bread, a small handful of berries, a few roots, and some leftover smoked rabbit’s meat from the last time Gale shared his game with him._

_Heaviness started to settle in his stomach again before he lightly slapped his face._

_‘No! Focus!’_

_Doing some mental calculations, Cato estimated that the food he had would last him about a day or two, maybe four or five if he rationed it really, really well._

_Unfortunately, it was not enough for seven days and certainly not enough if he wanted to actually survive the coming winter._

_With his mind made up, Cato grabbed the bow and arrows he had taken so long ago and set out to hopefully hunt a few small animals, help him slowly stock up his stash. If he managed to spot a larger animal like a deer, even better!_

_And man, the good karma must be kicking in cause sometime into his trek through the forest, he spotted a deer that was gently grazing in a clearing nearby some blackberry bushes. Small white flowers with light pink highlights on its petals, Valerian his mind provides, still dot the lightly frosted area making the entire scene almost picture worthy if Cato had a camera or owned even an ounce of artistic talent._

_Cato nocks his arrow and his vision tunnels until only the deer was in focus. Draw the bowstring back, breath in. Breath out, let the arrow go._

_The arrow flies through the air and strikes the deer straight through the neck. Cato rushes to nock another arrow when surprise, surprise, an arrow that was certainly not from him, strikes the deer through the eye._

_It falls down, dead._

_Cato turns surprise towards the direction of the other arrow and sees the grey-eyed man from the lake. The man lowers his bow and looks around before settling his gaze on Cato._

_The man sighs, as if in relief, before making his way towards Cato who is frozen stiff despite his brain’s valiant attempts to get his feet to move! Just move!_

_“I was hoping I’d run into you again,” the man said._

_Cato couldn’t move or even make a sound to acknowledge the man._

_There were too many thoughts running through his head, namely ‘Oh my god. Is this how I die? Is this guy going to report me to the Peacekeepers? But he wouldn’t right? He’s got a little girl and I’m just a kid so he wouldn’t do that to me right? Right???’_

_The man must realize the fear that grips Cato as he places his bow on the ground and raises his hands up in surrender._

_“Hey, it’s okay,” the man says reassuringly, “I’m not going to hurt you.”_

_Finally, Cato manages to choke out, “How do I know you’re not going to report me to the Peacekeepers.”_

_The man’s face seems to go through multiple emotions - confusion, realization, anger, pity, and then sadness._

_“You were the one who took my book and bow back then, weren’t you?” The man asks._

_Cato just clutches the bow tightly to his chest and hunches in on himself as if it would help him disappear._

_“No, no. I’m not angry at you,” the man attempts to reassure him, “You must’ve had your reasons. Are you here by yourself?”_

_Cato nods. The man frowns._

_“How long have you been living here?” the man asks._

_Cato thinks quickly before answering, “About six months.”_

_The man frowns harder making Cato flinch. The man immediately smooths his expression and smiles reassuringly._

_“Well you must be very brave and resourceful to have lived out here by yourself so long,” the man said, making Cato smile a little at the praise._

_“But the forest is no place for a young boy such as yourself to continue to live in.”_

_Cato’s smile drops._

_“I’m doing fine though,” Cato defends, displaying his young age as his foot stomps the ground, “And I’ll continue to do fine even after you leave.”_

_The man has his hands up again, “I’m not saying you aren’t capable of living here by yourself. It’s just that you shouldn’t have to continue to live out here by yourself.”_

_“What do you mean?” Cato asked, suspicious._

_“How would you like to live with me and my family?” the man asked with a gentle smile, “At least until you’re of age and can come back to the forest to live however you wish.”_

_Cato steps back in surprise at the request. He immediately glares at the man in suspicion._

_“Why would you ask me that?” Cato asked._

_“Because I believe that no child should have to live alone no matter the age or the circumstances,” the man responded._

_“But what about the Games? The whole point of me running here and living by myself was to keep my promise with my dad to not compete in the games.”_

_The man is now taken aback and pauses to formulate his response._

_“Well, I can’t do anything about the Games but I can do something to make sure the Peacekeepers never find out about the fact that you broke the laws of District 12 and have been living here alone for the past year.”_

_Cato moves to respond to the perceived threat._

_“Wait,” the man quickly said to calm Cato, “It’s not a threat. It’s a warning. Despite the lackluster attitudes of the District 12 Peacekeepers, the Capitol makes a habit of spending one day each year combing through the entire forest and searching for any citizens that may have tried to make their escape from the Games. If they find anyone, they take them back to the Capitol where they’re never heard from again. I would very much like to prevent this sort of fate for you even with the threat of the Games.”v_

__

_Cato takes a moment to process what the man said._

__

_“But again, why would you try and help me mister?”_

__

_“Everdeen, Edelweiss Everdeen. But you can call me Ed.”_

__

_Cato nods, “Okay Mr. Ed.”_

__

_Ed smiles at that, “And what’s your name?”_

__

_Cato pauses for a moment before mumbling, “Cato Evans, sir.”_

__

_Ed laughs at that, “Ha! No need to call me sir, Cato. It’s nice to meet y-”_

__

_“Why are you helping me? Your answer will determine if I say yes or no,” Cato interrupts Ed with a serious look on his face._

__

_Ed in turn neutralizes his expression._

__

_“Like I said, I don’t believe any child should have to live by themselves in this situation especially if circumstances forced them to adapt to doing so. We already have too much of that happening in District 12,” Ed said._

__

_“But?” Cato said._

__

_“But I also don’t like seeing a young boy, who most assuredly lost his family at too young an age, should have to live alone with only ghosts to keep him company,” Ed responded sincerely, “You deserve another chance at life. So let me extend my hand and offer that chance to you.”_

__

_Ed holds his hand out for him to take._

__

_Cato can only stare at the hand as Ed’s words slowly register in his mind. Even though he has gotten a hold on the emotions that swell inside him every time he thinks about the events that forced him to live like this, the emotions were still there. And they really wanted him to take Ed’s hand._

__

_So take it he did._

__

_Ed smiled and brought Cato in for a hug. Cato clutched tightly onto Ed, tears slowly falling from his eyes as the hug - the warmth of the body, the strength of the arms, even the herb-like smell of Ed - reminded him sorely of the last hug his dad gave before he was killed._

__

_“Now let’s get you home.”_

__

And home he went. 

__

His new home.

__

_When Cato agreed to go with Ed, he didn’t know what he expected of their destination._

__

_They had only walked for about an hour, Cato counted since it was currently the only way to calm him down if the white-knuckle grip he had on the survival book was any indication of how tense he was about the whole situation still._

__

_After that hour, the two reached a long chain link fence with barbed wire threaded through, indicating that it was an electric fence._

__

_Cato turns to Ed with a question that Ed can already read off his expression._

__

_“Don’t worry about the fence. It’s never really on because of how poor the district is.”_

__

_Cato nods but he’s still worried._

__

_Ed chuckles, “If you’re still worried, you just need to get close enough to check if you can hear the sound of electricity. Otherwise, you use this gap in the fence that no one’s bothered to repair.”_

__

_He points to a large hole that was indeed in the fence. Cato stares wide-eyed at the blatant security threat that would’ve been repaired and the perpetrator punished if they were back in District 2._

__

_Ed pats him on the back, “I think you’ll find that the peacekeepers are much more willing to bend the rules here than at whichever district you came from.”_

__

_Cato nods at the answer and follows Ed through the hole and along a dirt path leading into what was probably the poorest part of the district._

__

_Ramshackle huts made with whatever could be found lying around, tattered shacks that were held together through sheer hope and willpower, and what could only be described as cloth on sticks. People milled about looking both dirty and hopeless like any fight they might have had or motivation to live was either drained or never there to begin with. They all have the same coloring with olive skin, dark hair, and grey eyes._

__

_Cato stuck closer to Ed as they walked. He grew unnerved as the people turned to stare at him as if they knew he didn’t belong with his blonde hair and blue eyes, despite the obvious effects living in the forest had on him with his lean physicality and somewhat dirty appearance._

__

_Luckily, their destination was just a short walk away. A small wood house that was better put together than the rest of the “buildings” in this part of town. It probably had to do with the fact that it was more than a house as Cato watched a woman about Ed’s age, with blonde hair and blue eyes a shade or two lighter than his own, hand a dangerously thin man a bundle of herbs that Cato recognized from the book as remedies for the common cold._

__

_The woman smiles encouragingly at the man who silently cries as she speaks to him. The man bows his head in thanks before shuffling away. The woman watches sadly as she wipes her hands on a stained apron tied around her pale blue dress._

__

_“Clara! I’m back!” Ed calls out._

__

_The woman, Clara, turns to them and smiles widely at Ed. As she walks over, Cato slowly inches to hide behind Ed._

__

_“You’re back earlier than we expected,” Clara said with an amused smile._

__

_“Well I ran into something rather unexpected while I was out,” Ed laughed sheepishly._

__

_“Oh?”_

__

_Clara narrowed her eyes as her husband sheepishly rubs the back of his head before sliding her gaze towards Cato who was now almost completely hidden behind him._

__

_“Oh.”_

__

_Clara’s gaze softened, “It wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the young gentleman behind you would it?”_

__

_Ed raises his hands up as if to say ‘You got me.’_

__

_“Ed...” Clara starts to say but Ed cuts her off by placing his arm around her shoulder and leading her back towards the house._

__

_“Let me explain please,” Ed said._

__

_He turned to Cato, “Why don’t you wait outside by the door Cato? It’ll only take a few minutes.”_

__

_Cato nods silently before moving to plop down on the ground beside the front door as Ed and Clara enter. They close the door behind them and start a muffled conversation that Cato can’t even hope to hear clearly despite how thin the wooden walls of the house look._

__

_He sits for what feels longer than a few minutes before the young girl from the forest, Ed’s daughter, walks over to him with a small blonde toddler sleeping in her grasp. The two of them look just as out of place as he does despite how the daughter had the same coloring as everyone else._

__

_“Who are you?” the girl asked._

__

_“Ummm...” Cato scrambles for an answer, “I think I’m your new brother?”_

__

_The girl narrows her eyes in suspicion in a manner similar to the way her mother did earlier at Ed._

__

_“What do you mean you think? You either are or you aren’t. Where did you even come from anyway?”_

__

_“Your dad found me living by myself in the forest and then he asked if I wanted to come live with him,” Cato responded._

__

_The girl sighs, “Yeah, that definitely sounds like dad. Mom says he’s such a bleeding heart. Whatever that means.”_

__

_Cato shrugs. The girl walks over and sits down next to him._

__

_“My name’s Katniss by the way.”_

__

_“Like the Katniss plant?”_

__

_Katniss nods._

__

_“Are flower names just a thing in this family?” Cato asks, genuinely curious._

__

_“Yup. Besides mom, everyone in the family’s named after a flower with some kind of special meaning. Katniss means adaptable survivor because of how edible the entire plant is. My baby sister’s name, Primrose, means purity, honesty, and good luck. It’s also really pretty like her and can also be used as medicine,” Katniss explained._

__

_“Huh,” Cato nodded along, “Then I wonder what your dad’s name means.”_

__

_“I don’t know,” she said, shrugging, “But we could probably ask him.”_

__

_At that moment, Ed and Clara exit the building._

__

_“Oh good! You three have met,” Ed said, “This’ll make everything easier.”_

__

_Ed crouches down in front of them as Clara smiles off to the side._

__

_“Cato. Even though I already asked this in the forest, I’d like to ask you again.”_

__

_Cato sits up straight at Ed’s serious tone despite the smile on his face._

__

_“Would you like to be a part of my family?”_

__

_Cato looks at Ed for a moment. He turns to Clara who smiles encouragingly and then to Katniss who bounces a little in excitement. He turns back to Ed._

__

_“Okay.”_

__

_Ed moves to hug Cato again who surprises each other by meeting him halfway. Katniss smiles giddily as Clara moves to take Primrose before Katniss accidentally wakes her up. Katniss then launches herself at Ed and Cato, knocking them all onto the ground._

__

_They sit up laughing before pausing when Katniss looks at the two with a serious expression._

__

_“Wait! If Cato’s going to be our brother, he needs a flower name, like us!”_

__

_Ed laughs, “I’m sure we’ll be able to come up with something. That is, if Cato agrees?”_

__

_Everyone turns to look at Cato again who nods in response. Katniss cheers and goes back to hugging the two tightly._

__

_And for the first time in almost six months, Cato felt light. Unburdened._

__

__

_Happy._

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s all she wrote. For this chapter. I hope you don’t mind the way I’m writing Cato. In the books and films, he’s portrayed as the typical cocky Career from 2 only to end up becoming just another scared kid who only just realized the weight of the Games. And that’s it. And I still to this day, do not know why I like him so much?!?! In this story, I’m just trying to expand on his character and also direct him towards another direction where he realizes the weight of the Games earlier and also has something to fight for besides glory. He will still have that confident swagger later on but that’s when he’s all grown up and actually involved with the Games, yeah? 
> 
> Anyways, I suck at writing at a consistent pace in a consistent tone. So if you’re still here, hugs and kisses and whatever form of platonic physical affection you desire to you! Thanks for still sticking it out with me. Please review and don’t send flames. If you do, I’ll either delete them or use them for roasting smores. Until next time!


	4. Moving Forward and Letting Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally time for Cato to move on and let go of the past that's been weighing him down ever since the day he ran form District 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! It’s me! How’s everyone doing so far? Update that updates are going to be somewhat scattered and far apart what with work really kicking into high gear and hours being insane and the side projects I’m working on to hopefully either help advance my career or just de-stress from reality cause life just sucks sometimes and you gotta do what you gotta do to make it not suck. 
> 
> Also, screw Disney live action films. They may be brilliant cinematography wise but they always miss the point of the story or just make second rate versions of the animated films we grew up with. And yes, I’m talking about Mulan. I didn’t watch the film cause I’ve learned my lesson after Aladdin, but I’ve watched clips and trailers and I was not impressed at how Chinese culture was represented and I was even less impressed by the changes in the story that were made. Don’t even get me started on the themes and the story elements that they ended up using. Mulan is my favorite Disney character not just because she was Chinese, but because she of her character growth and also her thematic journey. You would not believe how much I related to the song “Reflection” as I got older. Also, if I wanted to watch a Chinese fantasy/wuxia film, I would go watch an actual Chinese fantasy/wuxia film and not one that was made by America. Rant done. 
> 
> Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

He spent the next few months relearning how to be a functional member of society again after being alone for so long. 

Luckily, Cato began to fall into another new routine, one that he infinitely enjoyed more if anyone were to ask him.

He spent each day waking up early in the morning to help Mrs. Everdeen (cause it was still much too early and much too awkward to be calling her “mom” though maybe he will, one day) with breakfast. 

She taught him many fancy cooking tricks to try in the kitchen, under her supervision of course. A few recipes she insisted every child his age has to know, even though he wonders when he’ll ever have to worry about cooking his eggs twenty different ways. 

Surprisingly enough, she taught him how to develop a deep awareness of his surroundings so if a wandering little girl or stealth mode grown man tried to steal a taste, he would be aware enough to wack them with the business end of the wooden spoon Mrs. Everdeen seemed to always carry around with her everywhere. Cato had yet to receive such treatment nor would he ever like to. 

He was sorely reminded of the iron pan his own mother had taken to carrying around, always at the ready for whenever his dad (god he missed his dad) did something she said was stupid. Cato was once worried about his dad after a particularly nasty hit from said pan. But his mom said his dad’s head was too hard to cause any real damage cause his dad was too bull-headed, whatever that meant.

Then in the afternoons, Mrs. Everdeen patiently instructed him on how to make different kinds of medicine and remedies from the variety of plants that Cato had only read about before Mr. Ed brought him on his first official scavenging trip to help Mrs. Everdeen stock up her supplies.

_Cato sits by the kitchen counter with Prim held securely in his arms. The little girl was gently snoozing away in the afternoon sunlight. He watches Mrs. Everdeen as she prepares different herbs to make remedies for the cold that’s been making the rounds through the Seam._

_And man, it’s kind of depressing that District 12 would be separated into two different sections all because of their physical appearances and their social status. Shouldn’t the district have a united front where everyone was trying to help each other? Not turn their backs on those who obviously need help? 12 was considered the poorest district in all of Panem and anti-Capital sentiments ran high here. Guess that’s just not enough to unite the people._

_Money really does make the world go round._

_But he digresses._

_Cato returns his attention back to Mrs. Everdeen just as she finishes washing all the herbs, separating them into different piles. He watches with fascination, absorbing her every word as she explains what each herb does medicinally while preparing them for consumption._

_“Rosemary,” she explains while carefully picking apart the leaves and stems, “Is said to stimulate the circulatory system which is your heart and blood. It helps the blood flow and can even relieve headaches since blood also flows through the brain. If you inhale the scent of bruised stems and leaves, it can help clear the sinuses, making it easier to breathe.”_

_She takes two plants, one from two different piles, and carefully bundles them together in a specific amount._

_“Sage is good for the first tickle of a sore throat. It is also known for killing bacteria, which is what most illnesses come from. If you make tea with it and combine it with some thyme, it does wonders for your well-being.”_

_Finally, she takes the last pile of herbs and starts to evenly cut them into small pieces._

_“And finally, lemon balm. A gentle and kind herb for a cold. It helps in sweating out a fever and even has some properties that help prevent the development of illnesses.”_

_Mrs. Everdeen then takes some lemon balm and drops it in a cup of boiling water that she had set off to the side. She carefully eyes the cup as it slowly changes into the color of tea. With an instinct cultivated through years of work and study, Mrs. Everdeen scoops the herbs out of the cup and hands it to Cato._

_“Would you like to try some?”_

_Cato nods and carefully cradles the hot cup in one hand while the other holds Prim close. She’s now awake and watching the tea with a fascination only small children can muster as their formative years were when they truly experience the world for the first time._

_He blows on the tea to cool it down a bit before taking a sip._

_“Well? How is it?” Mrs. Everdeen asks with a smile._

_Cato smiles at her as Prim claps in delight._

_It was the perfect cup._

In between breakfast and afternoon medicine time, Cato would go out hunting with Mr. Ed and Katniss before she was sent home while Mr. Ed brought him to the Hub to learn how to trade and haggle.

In the beginning, Katniss wouldn’t talk to him for a solid week once she found out that he was the one who stole her bow.

“It was supposed to be MY birthday present,” she cried out, stomping the ground like a petulant toddler having a temper tantrum just cause she couldn’t have the last cookie. 

Cato tried apologizing in what felt like a million different ways but was actually just 5 cause he’s a walking human disaster of a kid okay, please leave him alone.

Eventually Cato managed to wear down Katniss enough to the point where she no longer intentionally sabotaged him whenever they went out hunting. Little things like nudging his back as he pulled back the bow string and snapping branches whenever he got close enough while stalking his prey.

Now she did those unintentionally cause she was a nine year old little girl with no impulse control so to speak of whenever she was out in the forest where she didn’t have to suppress her most childish desires in fear that a Peacekeeper having an off-day would catch her and thus punish both her and her family.

Soon though, Cato could see how frustrated she was at not being as good a hunter as him and her dad. So Cato decided to give her a little motivation.

_Katniss shouts in frustration as the rabbit bounces away quickly. The arrow she had shot a whole five inches away from where the rabbit had originally been._

_“It’s alright dear,” her dad said, “You’ll get it next time.”_

_Katniss just huffs and crosses her arms with a pout. She turns away from her dad before he can try and lie to her again._

_‘It’s not fair,’ she thought._

_The angle she’s turned to allows her to see her big brother, Cato, his flower name still to be determined though she’s not going to give up until she finds the perfect name for him, swiftly pull back the string of his bow and hold steady as he tracks the movement of a squirrel hopping through the tree branches._

_After a moment, he lets go and Katniss hears the arrow land with a soft thud following after. She turns and sees the squirrel dead on the forest floor with an arrow through its neck._

_“That’s great, Cato!” her dad says, praising her brother as he walks over to pick up the squirrel._

_Cato smiles brightly at the praise._

_“Yeah but I still got a ways to go before I can get’em through the eye every time like you.”_

_Cato and her dad exchange hearty laughs, making her pout turn into a scowl. She kicks at the floor, leaves flying up and catching their attention._

_“Ah come on Katniss,” Cato said, trying to play the mediator, “You’re still young and you just started a few weeks ago. It makes sense that you won’t do as well as you’d like. If you keep practicing though, you’ll be better than the both of us.”_

_Katniss kicks at the floor again._

_“I wanna be better now! Or at least, I wanna be able to hit something that’s not a tree or the ground.”_

_Her dad moves to speak but her brother shakes his head at him._

_Cato stares at her with a calculating expression. He then smiles like a fox who’s managed to figure out both a way into the henhouse and how to escape with a full belly. Katniss watches him warily._

_“Okay then,” Cato begins, “If you’re so set on getting better than us, how about a trade?”_

_She perks up in interest, “A trade?”_

_Cato shrugs, “Yeah. A trade. If you manage to hit your prey, then you get to decide what we do for the rest of the day. If you don’t, then I get to decide what we do. Where you hit your prey and what kind of prey you hit, determines how much we let you get away with.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Well, say you hit a deer in the leg. It’s a big target so hitting them in the leg is easier than hitting a squirrel in the leg. So if you hit a deer, you get to decide the next forest excursion. If you hit a squirrel you get to decide what’s for dinner. Stuff like that.”_

_Katniss nods along._

_“And if you manage to improve enough to the point where you hit each prey in the eye at least 3 times in a row before I can, then the trade’s off and I’ll give you my desert and help you with your chores for the next year as a special prize.”_

_Katniss pauses and then nods her head vigorously._

_“You’re on, Cato!”_

_Katniss rushes to her dad and starts tugging him away, eager to get started._

_Her dad laughs loudly in amusement and Cato just shakes his head, exasperated._

Good news, it took her awhile to finally land a hit on her targeted prey so he didn’t have to get dragged off every day to play with her and Prim. Bad news, she’d started to hit the eye at most two times in a row before messing up, giving Cato both a run for his money and a constant sense of dread at the thought of having to help Katniss with all her chores and give her his desert for a year.

Overall, Cato was just having a jolly good time with his new found family. 

He and Katniss had their long running trade (cough competition cough) that allowed them to bond further as they explored the forests outside the District. Cato was surprised by how much he enjoyed Katniss’ company. It probably had to do with the fact that her no-nonsense attitude, feisty personality, and enduring spirit reminded him heavily of the girl he left behind in District 2.

Primrose definitely had him wrapped around her finger from the moment he first met her. Always running after Katniss and Cato whenever either of them were having a bad day. Always smiling with such joy and innocence that everyone in both the Seam and the Town couldn’t help but fall for her. Cato had only been her older brother for not even a full six months yet, but still long enough that if anything were to happen to her, he would kill everyone involved and then himself.

With Mrs. Everdeen, in the beginning, Cato was somewhat uncomfortable being around her and especially calling her anything but Mrs. Everdeen. She never faulted him for that though. She only encouraged him to learn more about her apothecary practice and to eat more because he was looking too skinny in her opinion. Her patience and motherly ways allowed him to slowly become more comfortable and open with her. He thinks that for sure one day, when he’s finally moved on from what happened to his family, he’ll call her mom.

And while he’ll never have the same relationship as he did with his own dad, the one he built up with Mr. Ed came pretty close to the one he had lost. Mr. Ed was always willing to lend his ear to Cato’s troubles and to offer advice whenever he felt Cato needed it the most, which must be a dad thing cause his own dad always knew what to say when he needed to hear it. He especially enjoyed the hunting excursions and Hub trips that were similar to the sparring practices and market explorations of the past. Cato was glad that even though he and Mr. Ed were doing things that were parallel to what he and his dad had done in the past, they weren’t replacing those memories. Mr. Ed had promised as much after all. He only wanted to give Cato a new family, not replace his old one.

Of course, everything came to a head when the anniversary of his family’s death landed unexpectedly upon them.

_He can’t believe he actually forgot the anniversary of that day this year. But to be fair, he was too caught up in the whirlwind that was the Everdeen family to notice or remember._

_But now...he does remember. And the memories smack him down like a raging train, leaving nothing left behind but stains and bits of remains._

_He just lays there on his bed with a too hard mattress (it’s not soft, not like the one back in his dad’s room) and scratchy sheets (his skin still remembers the softness of the handmade quilts his mom always made for the winter season) with a wooden frame that creaks with each small movement (the sounds ring loudly in Cato’s ears whenever he lies awake because the memories were just too much, tOo MuCH, TOO MUCH)._

_“Cato?”_

_Cato sluggishly turns his head to see Katniss crouching next to him. Her face is full of worry._

_He turns away. He doesn’t want to deal with anyone or anything. Not today._

_He can hear Katniss scurry away. He doesn’t bother thinking further about where she’s going but his unasked question is answered when he hears two other people enter the room alongside Katniss._

_“You alright, son?”_

_Mr. Ed enters Cato’s field of vision. Mrs. Everdeen stands next to him in worry with Prim nuzzled securely in her arms._

_Cato can only look away. Mr. Ed sighs. He then sits on the bed next to Cato._

_“It’s today...isn’t it?”_

_Cato’s silence answers his vague question._

_“Just let us know whatever you need whenever you need it. Even if it’s just to be left alone for the rest of the day, heck even the rest of the week.”_

_Cato turns to him in surprise. Mr. Ed just smiles reassuringly._

_“Even though you’re not blood, family is family. And family, especially this family, always looks out for each other, no matter what.”_

_Cato takes a moment to register his words. He then turns away from the Everdeens. His body starts to shake from the tears he’s attempting to hold back. Mr. Ed and Mrs. Everdeen share looks of understanding. Mr. Ed pats Cato reassuringly on the back and gets off the bed. They gently guide Katniss out of the room and leave Cato alone to grieve for the rest of the day._

The next day, Cato had felt, for the first time in what felt like a long time, unburdened, maybe even a little bit more free. 

He walked into the kitchen in a more positive mood, much to the surprise and relief of the Everdeens.

After breakfast, Cato told them everything.

He told them of how he was originally from District 2 and his dad was a Victor of the Hunger Games. He spoke of how the Peacekeepers kept knocking on their door as he got older, demanding that his dad allow him to join the Career Academy no matter how many refusals were given.

He then told them of what happened on that fateful day. How on his 10th birthday, his entire family had gathered and afterwards his dad took him out back to gift him his mom’s prized pin. He told them of the talk his dad had given about how morally wrong the Hunger Games were and that no one, even the Victors, ever truly won. That there was no glory to be found in killing other kids like him. 

Then Peacekeepers stormed into his home and killed everyone.

Mr. Ed clenched his fists in silent anger. Mrs. Everdeen looked at him not in pity but in empathy. Katniss straight up lunged into his unsuspecting arms for a hug. Cato took a breath to steady himself as tears gathered in his eyes. 

He continued to speak of how the lead Peacekeeper told his father of how they had discovered that his dad was a rebel, a fact that Cato hadn’t known until that day, and because of that, his mom was killed painfully despite the fact that she was already suffering from a terminal illness. And because her death hadn’t detered his rebellious actions, his dad had to choose between having Cato sent to the Academy or getting killed by the Peacekeepers.

His dad chose neither and told him to run, to get as far as he so he could to live and fight another day. To survive and then thrive.

And he did. He survived long enough to be taken in by the Everdeens and then thrived under their care. He will always be forever grateful to them for everything they have done.

The Everdeens only brushed off his fervent thanks, telling him again that even though he wasn’t blood, he was family. And family does anything and everything they can for each other.

After a moment, they all embraced each other. Cato broke down again as he was surrounded by the feeling of familial love and warmth that had been missing ever since his family died. 

He never realized he had been subconsciously distancing himself from the Everdeens, like he was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now he knows that there never was a shoe to drop. 

So he thanked them again, this time, finally calling them his mother, his father, and his little sisters. He finally accepted them as his family, which was all they had wanted from him.

The embrace grew tighter and there was not a single dry eye when they finally let go of each other.

In the afternoon, Ed took him on a trip to the Justice Building.

After a couple hours and a lot of fibbing around which did not amuse the Peacekeeper on duty at all, Cato walked out of the building as Valerian Cato Everdeen. It had taken quite a bit of searching but Ed and Katniss helped him find a plant name that they all thought suited him and their family well. 

The Valerian flower meaning to be strong, to be healthy, and readiness due to the heavy faith placed on its medicinal properties in treating many maladies due to its calming effects. Which seems to fit the running theme of pretty plants used for survival the Everdeens had going on. He kept his first name because it would be rude to his dad if he just dropped it completely but he didn’t want the traumas that came with it to define him anymore, so it became his middle name. He dropped Evans for Everdeen because new beginnings and all that jazz.

And just like that, he had a new name, a new family, a new life.

It took some time to get used to but hey, at least he has a family to help him back up whenever he falls. It might not be the same family he had when he first came into this world. But he wouldn’t change a thing. 

Oh how he spoke too soon. He should really learn to shut his mouth and stop jinxing himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look. It’s the classic foot in mouth, jinxing, internal monologue that always leads to bad things happening troupe. I will never get tired of that troupe cause it just lends credence to Murphy’s Law. Ya know the one - anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Now that I think about it, most of the time, life is just Murphy’s Law and how we respond to it. Do we rise up to the challenge? Do we roll over and let bad things continue to happen? Or do we just pull up covers and decide to get to it after a few more hours of sleep and some food?
> 
> I’m of the mind set of if I don’t have to do it, I won’t. Oreki Hotaro from Hyouka is my spirit animal and his quotes are the gospel I live by. Anywho, I’ll hopefully be able to get the next chapter out in a timely fashion. If I don’t, then it was probably because of Murphy’s Law. Also, all of the flower and herb knowledge was just stuff I googled online so if it’s inaccurate. All I can offer is a shrug and the excuse that it’s the internet. Until next time!


	5. Some Things Never Change But Maybe Some Still Can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because the butterfly effect kicked in and allowed a new player to enter the game, that doesn't mean everything changes. Unfortunately, some things have to stay the same. But that doesn't mean other important things weren't changed in return, specifically the love triangle that will shall now never be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! Hope this chapter finds you safe and well. So here we are, the last chapter before we jump ahead to the present canon timeline of the Hunger Games. I’m so excited and I hope that I’ll be able to get that chapter out in a timely fashion for you guys. If not, then I hope to get it out as soon as I’m able to. Also, BTW, I will be referring to Cato as Val from now on up to a certain point in which the names will then become an important part of the character journey he goes through. Hope you guys won’t be too thrown off by it, especially when I reach the point where I start switching back and forth between them. 
> 
> Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Chaos theory suggests that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.

It’s the Butterfly Effect.

Everyone and their mothers know it at this point. 

Change one thing, no matter how small it may be, and something else, probably important, most definitely big, will change in return. 

Well what happens when that change doesn’t do anything besides shift the course of events? 

What happens when a butterfly’s wings flutter and a typhoon is not formed but a storm that was supposed to occur today, happens next week? 

What happens if, no matter what you change, no matter how hard you try, all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable?

Even though Cato Evans, now Valerian “Val” Everdeen, entered the lives of the Everdeens in District 12 through the butterfly effect in District 2 and changed things for the better...some things can never be changed. 

Only delayed.

_~ 3 Years Later ~_

_Val could only grit his teeth as he tried, and failed once again, to get his mother to eat something, anything. The sad bowl of soggy oats grew sadder and soggier the longer it went uneaten._

_Katniss watches from the side with a dark look in her eyes. She looks as if she’s about to say something potentially biting but decides against. Instead, she quickly ushers a worried Prim out of the room and away from the sight of their catatonic mother._

_It was only just a month ago that their father passed away from an unexpected (lies) mine collapse. The Peacekeepers had been exceptionally lazy and hands off with the citizens of the Seam, tending to stay more near the District’s Justice Building and occasionally patrolling the Town as long as a Seamer was not within sight._

_It helped...but not enough._

_The entire Seam had an oppressive atmosphere weighing its residents down. But this past week, the weight had been almost crushing. Even the dull gray tones that seemed to dye everyone’s metaphorical vision was more dull and depressingly gray._

_It’s been a long time since so many people have died. Especially from something that could have been prevented through better mine inspections via the Capital._

_But those from the silver city had better things to do than to wonder about the mines from which a dying source of fuel came from so said the elders of the Seam who would continue to silently curse their oppressors for the oppression no one has ever been able to successfully overthrow._

_However, the weight of this particular disaster was much heavier than usual because of the loss of their father. Val never realized it, but the Everdeen patriarch was a much bigger figure of influence on the Seam community than their family realized. When he was alive, he provided food and supplies through the hub, company for the downtrodden who were forced to wander to the Everdeen’s apothecary doors, and raised moral through the songs he sang with his beloved daughter Katniss._

_Now he was gone._

_And he wasn’t coming back._

_Just like his dad._

_Just like back then._

_Except this time, the Capitol couldn’t be bothered to lift a hand to pull the trigger this time. And somehow, that made it feel so much worse._

_Val sighed, finally admitting defeat. He puts the bowl on the table besides his mother. She’ll eat when she is ready, if she’ll ever be ready. He walks to the sink and as he begins to wash the few dishes they had, his thoughts start to wonder._

_He never realized it until just now but his mother has slowly started to shift back into Mrs. Everdeen in his mind the longer she stayed catatonic. The image of the gentle mother reverting back into the kind stranger the longer she continued to not see the silent tears and worrying glances from Prim, and choose to not hear the pleas of Katniss who begged her do something, to do anything, that would show she was still present and willing to be a mother to her children._

_Val finished washing up the dishes and began to slowly dry them. His mind racing with a thousand thoughts per second as he came up with plan after plan to keep his family alive._

_He had already taken out tesserae four times much to the horror and anger of his younger sisters. Katniss tried to sneak off behind his back to do the same before he caught her and expressly forbade her from ever doing such a thing ever again._

_He no longer had as much time to traverse through the forest to hunt and forage. Though it wasn’t like it would make much of a difference, not when a forest fire that had occurred earlier in the month had sent much of the wildlife fleeing and burned many edible plants away. He had to make sure that the Peacekeepers had no reason to come by their door and break apart their family despite the hands off attitude they’ve been adopting. And while Katniss would be all for going into the forest on her own, both she and Val weren’t confident enough in her ability to navigate through the dense woods alone, especially since Capitol patrols had seen a recent uptick for unexplained reasons._

_The Hub was a no go as well since they were not the only ones suffering from the tragedy. Many of the patrons who frequented the trade center stopped as they worked in an attempt to keep their heads above the water. They couldn’t afford to help the Everdeens no matter how much they wanted to, not if they didn’t want to drown themselves._

_Val sighs again as he places the last dish away in the cupboards. He can only stare at the meager amount of grain and oil from tesserae that barely filled two shelves. The last of the dried meat and plants gathered from the last hunt already long been consumed._

_He was glad that there was still enough food to ration but he couldn’t help but frown as he recalled the appearances of his sisters. Prim had never looked so hopeless before with her hollowing cheeks and tear-ridden eyes and Katniss’ anger and bitterness added another sharp edge to her already thinning frame._

_“Val?”_

_He turns in response to the timid call and sees Prim standing by the doorway. Her gaze alternates between him and her catatonic mother. He quickly walks over and turns her away, gently leading her out of the small kitchen and towards the equally small bedroom._

_The two situate themselves on the bed, Val sitting against the creaky headboard and Prim curling up against his chest as he holds her close. Katniss is nowhere to be seen._

_“What’s up, Prim?” Val asked once she settled down._

_Prim stays silent as rain continues to pour outside, adding to the depressing mood that had become the new norm in their home._

_After listening to the rain for a bit, Prim finally asks in a quiet voice, “Are we going to be okay?”_

_Val looks at her, trying to be as reassuring as he can without accidentally revealing his doubts, “Of course we are. What makes you ask that?”_

_“It’s just because...” Prim goes silent as she tries to figure out the right way to word her response, “Mom just sits there all day no matter what we do. Katniss is so angry all the time and I never know if it’s because of mom or dad. And you look so tired from trying to keep us well fed and safe that I’m scared one day, I’ll look away for a moment and you’ll be gone, just like dad.”_

_Val holds Prim closer as the last of her words are choked by a sob._

_“Hey, hey, hey. It’s gonna be alright. I’m not going anywhere. I wouldn’t dream of doing that to you. And as for mom and Katniss...they need time. Time to process. Time to mourn. Time to move on, just like I was given time to do the same when my family died.”_

_Prim only nods at his words and cuddles further into his arms as if they’ll be able to shield her from the horrors of the world, or at least, let her pretend that things were still all right. That her dad wasn’t dead, that her mom was still her mom and Katniss wasn’t angry enough to try and burn the rest of the world down because of how unfair it was._

_The two continue to lie there on the bed, letting the sound of the rain slowly lull them into unconsciousness._

_Just before Val closes his eyes, a thought jolts him awake._

_“Wait a minute. Where’s Katniss?”_

_Prim is silent but it’s not the melancholic, sad silence of before. This time it’s a silence that’s tinged with a bit of guilt and as much defiance an 8-year-old little girl can muster._

_Val stares at Prim with a frown._

_“Prim.”_

_She’s still silent. Val is not amused._

_“Prim. Where is she?”_

_Prim tucks her head in his chest and mumbles something he can’t understand. He sighs._

_“You wanna try saying that again?”_

_Prim lifts her head up, a sheepish yet guilty expression on her face._

_“Katniss went out to try and sell some old stuff that we don’t use anymore, like my baby clothes.”_

_Val groans, “Prim...”_

_“Oh come on, Val. You do so much and you never let us help you. What did you think Katniss was gonna do?”_

_“Well I don’t know what she thought but I assumed that she would have enough common sense to not go out in the rain trying to sell old things that no one would ever have a use for if we don’t have a use for it.”_

_Prim can only pout with wide puppy eyes. Val’s resolve to continue this non-argument crumbles, as it always does whenever Prim so much as looks at him with those sad yet hopeful eyes of hers._

_“Alright fine,” Val admits defeat. Prim cheers by smiling brightly, a great feat considering her sunken appearance, and proceeds to try and squeeze the life out of him._

_“But,” he says, interrupting Prim’s death by hug attempt, “if she’s not back within the hour, I’m bringing her back home whether she’s sold anything or not.”_

_Prim nods frantically in agreement before attempting to sink him into the couch with her meager weight as if to preemptively stop him from making any attempt to go get Katniss after the time limit was reached. Thankfully for her, Katniss arrives back home if the loud slam of the door was any indication._

_Prim slides off and rushes out of the bedroom to the kitchen. Val stretches out, trying to work out the soreness and fatigue that had yet to be relieved. He slowly follows Prim only to rush out when he hears her cry out with an emotion that has his heart racing in worry._

_He runs through the doorway and is greeted with the sight of Prim crying as Katniss holds her close in comfort. Their mother still catatonic but a sign of life seems to spark in her eyes. Confusion floods him until he looks to his left and sees the two loaves of bread on the table. He freezes at the sight. The loaves, though slightly burnt and just a bit wet, were fresh, like just out of the oven fresh._

_He slowly walks over to examine the bread. Katniss and Prim watch him, gauging his reaction as he holds a loaf of bread and looks at it in fascination._

_The two girls hold their breath as he places the bread down and he slowly turns to them._

_His mouth twitches with the hint of a smile, “I guess we’re having bread for dinner then.”_

_Katniss and Prim continue to stare at him, their eyes wide and pleading for something that Val had continually denied them. At least up until this point because Val could feel his non-existent resolve crumble before the combined might of their puppy eyes._

_He sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat, “And I guess we’ll also be taking a trip to the forest tomorrow.”_

_Katniss and Prim cheer and fall into his arms for a hug. No one says anything as tears are shed and smiles are had. For the first time since the tragedy, hope had returned to the Everdeen home and damn was it good to have it back._

And thus all was right in the world as fate managed to right itself and return to the original tracks that had been laid out.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the destinies of the Everdeens were set in stone. In fact, some cosmic force out there decided that it wanted to have the last laugh. After all, just because some things can’t be changed, that doesn’t mean nothing can be changed. Because some things can be changed, especially for the better. 

All it needs is a little...push.

_Val stands by the gate of the schoolyard, waiting patiently for his sisters to be released from their classes. He had promised them the other day that he would take both out to the forests to go hunting and gathering._

_Despite the fact that until recently, both had been rather sparse, he had a good feeling about today. Whether it’s because of the bread Katniss brought back, though she had yet to tell him the full story about it, or just the bright Spring day that graced them after a week of depressing rain, who cares. Not him. He’s just happy that his family’s happy and on the road to recovery._

_Val spots his sisters exiting the school building. Prim is excitedly chatting Katniss’ ears off who indulges her with a smile. Katniss stops and looks off to Val’s left. Val frowns, confused, and follows her gaze._

_His sight lands on Peeta Mellark, the baker’s boy, standing by a nearby tree. The sun shines on the boy’s wheat blonde hair and makes the dark bruises on his face stand out starkly against his pale skin. He raises an eyebrow when he sees Peeta look up and stare like a dope. Following his gaze, Val’s eyes land on Katniss who has just picked a yellow dandelion from the ground and is smiling brightly at it before gazing up at the sky with hope clear on her face._

_Val rolls his eyes up and closes them. He breathes in and out steadily in order to stem the over protective elder brother instincts that begged him to go give the shovel talk to a kid who probably doesn’t deserve it given his appearance and mother’s reputation._

_Once he’s managed to push his irrational instincts down, Val walks over to where his sisters still stand, marveling at the dandelions that the two have both begun to pick._

_“Ready to head out?”_

_The two girls startle but turn to him with a grin._

_“Val!” Prim shouts out and goes to hug him._

_Katniss just walks over with a grin, “Of course I’m ready. I’ve been waiting weeks for you to let me go back.”_

_Val frowns with guilt growing in his chest until its growth is abruptly stopped by a harsh punch to the arm courtesy of Katniss._

_“Hey! I don’t need you feeling guilty over this Val. Prim and I know you were just doing what you thought was best. Doesn’t mean I agree with it, just that, we’re not gonna hold it against you. You’re supposed to be our big brother. I’m pretty sure it’s in the job description,” Katniss says with a cheeky smile._

_Val smiles back. Then a thought occurs to him and his smile takes on a devious edge. Katniss watches him warily. She knows this expression doesn’t mean anything good coming from him._

_“Soooo...” Val drawls out, “I see you have an admirer.”_

_“What?” Katniss yelps, ready to protest only to stop and blush at Val’s amused grin. He tilts his head over towards Peeta’s direction and she follows where he’s directing. By chance, she locks eyes with Peeta only for the boy to turn away with a blush. She frowns. Val frowns at that._

_“Katniss...what’s going on between you and the baker’s boy?” Val asks. Katniss looks away, suddenly hit with a bout of shyness that was very uncharacteristic of her._

_“Katniss...” Val says with a tone of warning, trying to coax answers out of her._

_When she starts to pout, Val pulls out the big guns, “Is there something going on between you two? Do I need to pull out the bow and a forest speech?”_

_Katniss flushes, “There’s nothing going on between us.”_

_Val raises a skeptical eyebrow._

_Katniss pouts and relents, “Okay fine. You remember the bread I brought back last night?”_

_“Yes? Why?” Val responds, his brows furrowing with confusion._

_“Well...IkindagotthebreadfromPeetaafterhismomthrewmetothecurbfortryingtosellsomeofPrim’sbabyclothesandIguesshetookpityonmecauseheapparentlydeliberatelyburnedsomebreadinordertogiveittome.”_

_Val blinks at Katniss’ word vomit, “You maybe wanna try saying that again? Slower this time?”_

_Katniss blushes but complies, “I got the bread from Peeta after his mom threw me out for trying to sell her some of Prim’s baby clothes. I felt really bad after that and kind of just sat by a tree while it rained when there was a bunch of yelling and Peeta came out with some loaves of bread that were really burnt. His mom was yelling at him before she went back inside. Then Peeta ripped some of the really burnt pieces off before tossing the loaves at me. And then he went inside.”_

_Val blinks again, “Wow...that...is a lot to unpack.”_

_“Yup...”_

_“Do you know why he did it?”_

_Katniss scowls at that, “I guess he pitied me or something. Thought I was some kind of charity case and he might as well help the poor Seamer out like the good Townie he is.”_

_Again, Val blinks and quickly glances at Peeta who’s back to looking at Katniss like she’s some goddess who hung the moon despite the fact that she was just a jaded 12 year old with a mouth on her if you ever said the wrong thing._

_“Peeta...the baker’s boy...pitying you...” Val says slowly as Katniss nods along, “Wha- Katniss. That boy is over the moon for you. If you two weren’t 12 year old brats, I would’ve expected him to drop down on one knee and propose to you with those loaves of bread.”_

_Katniss blushes at that while Prim giggles with delight._

_“Katniss and Peeta sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-” Prim starts to sing before Katniss covers her mouth._

_“That’s enough out of you little duck,” Katniss says as she lifts her hand off Prim’s mouth._

_Prim only giggles, “Oh come on Katniss. Peeta’s such a nice boy and he always looks at you like you’re the most amazing girl in the world. I’m only 8 and even I can see that.”_

_Katniss scowls again, “Well you need to get your eyes checked, both of you. No way a Townie would ever help a Seamer out of the goodness of their heart.”_

_Both Val and Prim roll their eyes._

_“Well why don’t you just go talk to him and find out?” Val asks._

_Katniss looks at him like he’s gone crazy._

_“Oh come on Katniss,” Val says exasperated, “The boy took a beating just to give you those loaves of bread. I highly doubt he would risk getting hurt just because he pitied you. And the least you can do is say thank you.”_

_Katniss scowls even harder. Val is no longer having any of her attitude but before he can make a move, Prim pushes Katniss in Peeta’s direction. Guess Prim had even less of a tolerance for Katniss’ response towards the boy who let them have a free full meal for the first time in weeks._

_“Go,” Prim says, her voice taking on a commanding tone not dissimilar to the tone their mother’s takes when dealing with especially stubborn patients._

_“But-” Katniss tries to protest._

_“Go” both Prim and Val say as both are just not having it anymore._

_Katniss throws her hands up with a groan before walking over to Peeta like an inmate marching off to death row. Val turns to Prim with the feeling of pride swelling in his chest, “You’re gonna be a great healer some day, little duck.”_

_Prim giggles and hugs him, “Quack!”_

_The two watch as Katniss seems to stumble over her words while Peeta grows more flustered at the fact that his crush was speaking let alone even standing before him. It looked like the beginning of a beautiful relationship._

And now Val feels like he violated some sort of older brother code by potentially matchmaking his little sister with a boy who apparently has had a crush on her ever since she first started school cause he found her singing voice pretty. Huh. Does this make Katniss a siren? Should he start looking to break them up before they’ve even started, not to protect his sister from heartbreak but to protect Peeta from getting eaten alive by Hurricane Katniss?

Eh. Not his problem. She has Prim for all that girl talk and womanly intuition stuff. He’s never gonna touch that let alone go near it even with a 30 ft pole. He had his own problem to deal with anyways. And that problem unfortunately started with a G and ended with a -ale.

_Val leads his younger sisters deeper into the forest, on the path to the lake where their father always foraged for edible flora and went fishing for the catch of the day. He also thought it would be a good way to relax after all that they’ve been through._

_He and Prim had taken to teasing Katniss about her newfound friendship with the baker’s boy after their not too subtle push. Val will forever remember how red her face became and still is as Prim smiles while teasing her about when the wedding will be...and now he’s gotta shut that down._

_“Alright Prim, I think Katniss has had enough.”_

_“You’re no fun Val,” Prim pouts._

_Val only laughs and brings Prim in for a hug as a grateful Katniss tries to get her blushing under control. The light atmosphere around the trio is interrupted when a branch snaps behind them. Both he and Katniss whirl around with their bows drawn as Prim ducks behind them, only to come face to face with Gale who his hands up in surrender._

_“Hey Cato. Long time no see,” Gale says sheepishly, “You guys mind lowering those bows? I’m really attached to my face…and my life.”_

_“Gale?” Val shouts in surprise._

_“You know this guy, Val?” Katniss asks._

_“Yeah,” Val says as he lowers his bow, Katniss following his example, “We met when I was still living in the forest by myself and he was the only friend I really had. He even helped me out getting food. Really knows his way around traps.”_

_“Awww, you’re such a flatterer Cato,” Gale says with a grin._

_Val flushes, much to Katniss and Prim’s amusement, “It’s ah...Val now.”_

_“Alright then Val,” Gale says, emphasizing the name, making Val flush even harder, “Haven’t seen you in a few years...What’ve you been up too?”_

_Val glances at Katniss and Prim who are smiling way too widely at him. He rolls his eyes and nudges them along the path down to the lake, “Why don’t you two go ahead and I’ll catch up?”_

_“Okay Val,” Katniss says, emphasizing his name just like Gale did much to his displeasure, “Don’t be too long though. You promised that we’d go swimming later.”_

_Val nods and the two girls bounce away, giggling silently between them like they were privy to some secret Val had just told them. Girls...he’ll never understand them._

_“Sooo...” Gale drawls out._

_“Sooo...” Val drawls out in return._

_“You’re with the Everdeens and your name is Val now. I’m assuming they adopted you?”_

_“Mhm...”_

_“And you’re certainly looking better than the last time I saw you.”_

_“We literally just avoided starvation last night, Gale, so I highly doubt I look much better than before when I at least had a steady food supply,” Val deadpans._

_Gale rolls his eyes, “I meant you’re looking happier now, more content and less weighed down you little shit.”_

_“Hey! Language!” Val retort teasingly, “I’ve got two little sisters who don’t need to hear anymore of that kind of language. Katniss already has quite the mouth on her. She doesn’t need more examples to follow.”_

_Gale snorts. The conversation seems to end there, leaving the two in an awkward silence._

_“So I guess I’ll be seeing you around then? Hopefully sometime that isn’t three years later?”_

_Val sighs, “I’m really sorry about that Gale. I just got so caught up in having a family again I completely forgot about you. And I’m really sorry about that.”_

_Gale only nods in understanding, “No I get it. If I had my family torn away only to get a new one, I would also get so caught up with them I would forget about other things, like you did. My family will always come first and I would do anything for them.”_

_“Like taking out tesserae right?” Val says, with a bitter smile._

_Gale nods, “Yeah. My dad also died in the same collapse as Mr. Everdeen. Took it out 5 times and I’ve been trying to go out trapping as much as I can before I have to go into the mines. You?”_

_“Just 3. And we only recently started going out hunting again, but I’ve still got another 4 years before the mines just like you,” Val responds._

_The conversation ends with the awkward silence returning again._

_“See you later?” Gale asks, as he starts to move away towards where Val was assuming his traps were._

_Val starts to nod before a brilliant and horrible idea lights up in his head, “Hey Gale.”_

_Gale turns back, “Yeah?”_

_“What if we, oh I don’t know, helped each other out? Just like old times?”_

_“You mean like becoming hunting partners again?”_

_“Yeah. Except this time, we’re not just helping each other but also our families. That way if anything happens to either of us, we know our family would have support to rely on.”_

_Gale smiles, seeing through Val’s intentions, “Is this just another way of saying you’re sorry and asking if we can keep being friends?”_

_Val frowns slightly, “Are we still friends?”_

_“Of course we still are!” Gale says as he throws an arm around Val’s shoulders, “And as your friend, you need to properly introduce me to your sisters this time.”_

_“Of course,” Val says with a smile, before his overprotective brother instincts kick in, “But if you make any moves on them...”_

_“Ugh no way, of course not, it’d be like I’m dating my siblings,” Gale recoils at the thought._

Something in Val relaxed at Gale’s response. What that something is, Val is still denying any attempts at internally analyzing it. For now, he’ll just enjoy the bright spring day with his sisters and his newly reunited best friend. Best make his time with his loved ones last while he still can.

After all, he never knows when it can all end, especially with the Capitol and its threat of the games still very much a real presence ready to make that other shoe drop.

Especially once they get comfortable enough to let their guard drop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Originally I wanted this chapter to just be an exploration of how even though adding Cato doesn’t really change much, it still changes enough to make a difference. I didn’t expect it to get away with me and start having so much focus on the beginnings of budding relationships that DIDN’T involve a love triangle. 
> 
> On that note, I always hated the love triangle troupe of YA fiction, like, what’s even the point? There’s already enough relationship drama between two characters, why do we even need to add a third person? It just creates shipping wars and always annoys me on how one of the two main conflicts the main protagonist needs to focus on is the YA conflict they have to dismantle and which partner they're gonna stick with at the end of the day. And it also always made me angry how you know the girl is gonna only stick with one based on how the author writes one guy and thus the other guy gets a character assassination just so the fans don’t get all up in arms when the girl finally chooses. It’s pointless and it’s stupid. 
> 
> Maybe that’s why I like Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan so much cause even though it’s a harem anime formula, the main guy actually chooses a girl, the relationship between them grows despite other girls’ best attempts, and then he chooses to fight for her when given the option to. It’s sweet and it makes for good drama and a breath of fresh air after yelling at so many harem protags to just CHOOSE SOMEONE ALREADY I DON’T EVEN CARE IF YOU CHOSE A GUY JUST CHOOSE OH MY GOD!!!! Anyways, now that we’re all caught up on pre-canon stuff, it’ll be time to jump into canon stuff next chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one!


	6. Of Relationships and the Lack Thereof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fast forward to the present time where we get a quick glimpse into the relationships that matter the most and an attempt to start another that goes absolutely nowhere much to the exasperation of everyone not involved in said attempted relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Look! It’s the first chapter in the present canon timeline! Long time no see buddy...it’s been what, 8 years since the movie and 12 years since the book first came out? Man, it’s been a long time since the YA dystopia genre really took off. And then it all just kind of faded away with Mortal Engines’ box office failure signaling its death and Maze Runner: Death Cure signaling its funeral.
> 
> I feel like Suzanne Collins’ new book, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, came out at a really weird time and feels somewhat unnecessary and kind of unwanted? I just feel like the first Rebellion that started this whole Hunger Games thing is a better story to tell than about a teenage Snow and that District 12 chick he really wanted to bang. But then again, I never read nor do I plan on reading it cause I don’t care enough to so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

The atmosphere is still in the rickety residence of the Everdeen family. It’s residents still asleep as the sun slowly creeps through the cloth-covered windows. If one were to squint through the window coverings, one could see the sky slowly turning from dark purple to a mix of red, orange, and yellow.

A creak sounds through the air.

Val jolts awake.

He lifts his head to see a timid Prim crawling onto the bed to lie beside him. She’s a newly turned 12 year old with her bright blonde hair hanging loosely around her shoulders and thankfully in more healthy shape compared to four years ago.

He lifts his arm and she quickly slots herself under them in order to snuggle into his body. Her head rests on his chest as he puts his arm back down to hold her close.

“What’re you doing up so early?” Val asks, his voice rough from having just woken up.

Prim’s silence is enough of a response for Val to have an idea of what’s going through her head, especially on a day like this.

“Do you think you can go back to sleep?”

Prim buries her face into his chest and shakes her head.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Prim hesitates before she slowly nods her head. Val scoots himself up the bed so he’s leaning against the headboard which gives a dangerous creak. He pauses to survey the other two remaining occupants, making sure they’re still asleep before moving again with Prim following so she can maintain her cuddling.

Once the two have settled into a comfortable position, Prim shifts so that her face is no longer glued to his side and is now out in the open. She looks up at him with subtle fear in her eyes. 

“I’m scared,” she whispers out hesitantly, as if the mere fact that the words being spoken would cause some cosmic force to come hurling down and break the peace of the morning. 

Val nods in understanding because what child wouldn’t be afraid during their first Reaping.

“It’s alright to be scared you know,” Val says in what he hopes is a calm, soothing voice, “Katniss and I were both scared during our first year and the fear never really went away even as the years passed and we had more slips added to the bowl each time. But I’ve got 24 slips, it’s my last year, and I’m fine. Katniss has 4 slips, 2 years left, and she’s fine. You’ve only got 1 slip, 6 years to ride this anxiety train, and then you’ll be home free”

“But Dina Trelian had only one slip too and she still got chosen,” Prim starts, anxiety growing.

Val’s having none of that, “Hey, hey, hey. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Katniss and I will make sure nothing does happen to you. We’re your older brother and sister and it’s our duty to keep you safe,” Val responds with a conviction that makes the fear in Prim’s eyes grow in intensity.

“That’s what I’m scared of!” Prim shouts before quickly shutting her mouth and looking around frantically in hopes that no one wakes up. Mom’s bed stays still and silent like always whereas Katniss gives a small snort before shuffling deeper into the sheets. Prim breathes a sigh of relief before turning to meet Val’s pensive expression.

“What do you mean by that Prim?” he asks gently but with much confusion.

Prim gives a shaky sigh before answering, “I’m scared about the Reaping...but I’m less scared because it’s my first one and more because of what could happen to you guys.”

“Nothing will happen-” Val protests but is cut off by how serious Prim becomes.

“But it could!” she whisper shouts, “I know you two will do anything to protect me because you know I can’t stomach the thought of taking any form of living, breathing life. And while I will always be grateful for that, it doesn’t help the fact that if or when push comes to shove, you two will find a way to protect me. Even if it means sacrificing yourselves and I don’t know if I could bear to live without either one of you.”

She’s now in tears and even after all these years, Val still doesn’t know how to react around crying girls. So he flails about a little as he tries to calm her down.

“Hey now, I accept that those are definitely valid fears cause we all know how much trouble we, Katniss especially, have gotten in over trying to keep you safe. But that’s not going to be the case here, because push or shove, it won’t come to that,” Val says reassuringly.

“You promise?” Prim sniffles out as her tears calm.

“I promise. Cross my heart and hope to get bit by Buttercup or kicked by Lady,” Val says with such seriousness that Prim giggles at his little dig at her animal rescues not knowing of the silent vow he makes in his mind. 

‘I hope it doesn’t come to it Prim,’ Val thinks as she continues to giggle, ‘But if it does, I will do anything and everything I can to protect both of you. Protecting your lives and your happiness is the only way I can repay the debt I owe you all for taking me in when I needed it the most.’

The two settle down and watch as the light continues to filter more into the house the further the sun rose into the morning sky. Val squints through the window coverings and sees that the sky has started the transition from warm colors to light blue. It’s time to get off the bed and get ready for the day, he decides.

“Hey Prim,” he nudges her gently.

“Hmmm?” Prim responds sleepily having slowly fallen back asleep after their talk.

“I gotta get up and head out to the woods this morning,” he says, pausing to weigh whether he should tack on the reason why or not before deciding why not, “Need to meet up with Gale before we do our usual bakery trade.”

Clearly Val should’ve chosen not because Prim immediately perks up with a devious smile growing on her face.

“Oh! Are you finally going to have the talk with him?” Prim asks eagerly.

“Talk? What talk?”

Prim frowns, “You know, the talk where you tell him how you feel about him and he does the same and you both stop being stupid buttheads and finally get together.”

Val gasps, scandalized at Prim’s language. She’s supposed to be the pure and innocent one among the three of them but clearly she wasn’t and he knew of only one culprit to blame.

“Primrose Everdeen, you watch your language. Don’t make me break out the soap.” 

“Not the soap,” Prim quietly cries out dramatically, much to Val’s amusement and exasperation.

“And please for the love of all that is sacred, stop listening to Katniss. She’s clearly a terrible influence and role model.”

Prim simply sticks her tongue out at him. He shoves her lightly in the direction of her and Katniss’ shared bed.

“Go back to sleep with Katniss, little duck.”

“A little late for that.”

The two turn to see Katniss sit up with a rather unflattering yawn. She blinks blearily back at them.

“What’re you two doing up so early?” Katniss asks.

Val goes to respond truthfully but is beaten by Prim who grins mischievously, “He’s going out to the woods to meet up with _Gale_.”

Katniss perks up just like Prim did at the information.

Val, refusing to be on the receiving end of anymore teasing, groans, “Alright. That’s enough out of both of you.”

“But I haven’t even said anything,” Katniss says as she smiles widely, much more awake then she was a few moments ago.

“You didn’t have to,” he deadpans.

Val gets up off the bed and picks Prim up. He carries her over to the girls’ shared bed and deposits her gently on it. The two immediately curl up around each other like koalas.

“Go back to sleep you two and no more talk about Gale, got it?” Val orders.

“Only if Katniss sings the meadow song to me!” Prim requests.

“Of course little duck, you know I’ll always sing for you,” Katniss responds.

The two settle further into the bed as Val goes through his usual routine of preparing for the day. When he enters the bathroom off to the side, Katniss begins to sing.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it’s safe, here it’s warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

He exits the bathroom after freshening up and starts changing. He glances at Katniss and Prim and his heart swells at the sight of them holding each other like the world isn’t a terrible place and nothing can tear them apart. Val leaves the bedroom and goes to lace up a pair of his dad’s hunting boots. 

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it’s morning, they’ll wash away._

He stands up and swipes a worn leather hunting jacket off a hook next to Katniss’ jacket which was their father’s favorite to wear. He opens the door and steps outside but decides to listen to the end of the song before leaving.

_Here it’s safe, here it’s warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

The final notes ring through the air and seem to hang there for a few moments before fading away. Val continues to stand silently, ears straining to hear if his sisters were asleep or not. Quiet and steady breathing floats through the open doorway leading to the bedroom. Val smiles to himself before closing the door as quietly as he can. He walks away from the house, his face exudes happiness but his heart is weighed down by feelings of sadness and anxiety.

Val treks through the Seam, smiling and waving his good mornings at the few Seamers who've decided that now was a good time to get up and start their day. They smile back as their demeanor seems to lighten despite the general mood of the day. It gives Val a sense of warmth and satisfaction that he's at least able to brighten peoples' moods by just being a decent human being. He continues his trek down streets that are empty of Peacekeepers as they always are on these days. The buildings, if one can even call them that, are rundown with wooden skeletons barely covered by scraps of cloth and uneven lengths of wood. But Val doesn't pay much attention to his surroundings beyond his daily routine of greeting the folks. 

It’s not long before Val reaches the electric fence. He pauses to listen for the tell tale crackle of electricity but of course, like always, there never is any. He quickly ducks through the large hole in the fence that no one has still bothered to repair and begins his walk through the forest. 

Val comes upon the hollow log in which he and Katniss have stored their hunting equipment in. He unwraps his bow and quiver from its weather-proof wrap and begins his hunt. His steps are light through years of practice in trekking through the woods as the silent predator he learned to be in order to prevent even the slightest sound from alerting his prey and maximizing his chances of encountering said prey. He treads quickly and lightly, making sure to avoid leaving deep prints in the soft soil as he ducks around low hanging branches and circles around the brush that spreads like a blanket across the ground. All to lessen the chance of leaving any evidence of human presence for any potential Capitol trackers no matter how far apart the patrols have become. Better to be safe than sorry after all.

As he continues his light-footed trek to the meadow, Val pauses every now and then to shoot the occasional bird or squirrel that had decided to enter his line of sight. Once he spotted potential prey, he would pause, draw his bow, aim, and patiently track the movements or lack thereof of his prey before releasing and enjoying the spoils of his patience. By the time he reaches the clearing before the meadow, Val gathered a string of 3 birds and 3 squirrels. Guess even the animals could feel the tense atmosphere despite being so far from civilization.

A crack from a twig rings throughout the clearing, drawing Val’s attention as he immediately whirls around to the source of the sound. His bow is drawn and ready to strike a rather sheepish looking Gale. Val frowns and lowers his bow, relaxing his hold on the arrow and string.

“We really have to stop meeting like this,” Gale says with a hint of what sounds like flirting but is probably just a product of Val’s wishful thinking.

Val rolls his eyes and slings his bow over his shoulder, “Really? I almost shot you and that’s all you’ve got to say?”

“I mean, I could’ve laughed and made fun of your face, if that’s what you prefer? Your expressions are always priceless and the highlight of my day,” Gale responds with a cheeky grin.

Val scowls, “Oh yeah? Let’s see if anyone would want to see your face when I’m done with you.”

Gale raises his hand to his head and leans back before dramatically saying, “Oh no! Please have mercy on me and my rugged good looks! It’s one of my redeeming qualities.”

“It’s your only redeeming quality,” Val fires back.

“Awww...you think so? Guess it has to be true since it won you over,” Gale shoots back with a shit-eating grin.

Val blushes making Gale laugh. And he continues to laugh as they gather up the few rabbits Gale managed to catch in his traps. They make quick work of them before continuing on their way to the meadow. 

By the time they reach the meadow, Gale stops laughing as Val manages to control his blushing. The two are silent as they take in the sight of the rolling hill with flowers blooming across and dotting the green landscape with spots of vibrant colors. The sun shines down from above in a light blue sky with few clouds drifting with the soft breeze that gently rustles the tall grass. A lake sits in the distance with a calm surface that not even its aquatic residents can disturb. The sight is a complete contrast to the drab and bare bones appearance of the Seam.

The two settle down on the ground. Gale lies down with his hands behind his head, soaking in the sun with eyes closed. Val sits with his arms across his knees. He pulls out his mother’s pin and begins toying with it, holding its surfaces, which have smoothed from the years of nervous rubbing that was indicative of his nervous tick. He holds it up to the sun and admires its bright gold glint.

“Isn’t it so beautiful and peaceful out here?” Gale says suddenly, breaking the silence.

Val spares him a glance, “Yeah. It’s a real contrast to the rest of the District.”

“Wouldn’t life be great if it was as peaceful as this meadow? I can feel all my troubles melt away whenever I come here. Like I’ll never have to worry about anything. The games, the capitol, _the fear_. It all just seems to disappear,” Gale says, turning his head to look at Val who’s contemplating his words, pin clenched tightly in his hand.

Gale continues to speak, “We could probably make it if we ran away and just lived off the land. Like you did when you first got here. Chances for success would be much higher with the two of us. And it’d be pretty great being with you more often.”

Val blushes, flattered, but logic prevails over any fantasy his mind conjures at Gale’s words.

“I’m flattered, really I am...but it’s not possible. We both have responsibilities to our families and we love them too much just to leave them.”

“Then we can take them with us. Nothing will change except where we’re living.”

“Yeah, that’d be great. Until the Capitol does their annual patrol and catches us where we’re not supposed to be and then our families have to deal with the consequences of our actions. And I refuse to put my family in harm’s way, especially after all they’ve done for me,” Val responds, clearly dejected at the reality of life but still determined to keep his loved ones safe.

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying,” Gale agrees, “But it’s still nice to just dream.”

Silence settles over them again.

It’s broken again when Gale sits up and turns to Val. 

“Val,” Gale says with the utmost seriousness in both his voice and expression.

Val straightens up in response, realizing that what Gale does or says next could change things between them.

“It’s finally our last year of qualifications for the Reaping,” Gale says, “And then we begin the next chapter of our lives free of the games but stuck in the mines and constantly worrying for our siblings until they age out.”

Val nods, an unexplained feeling bubbling in his chest as he hopes the direction Gale is going is the one he’s been wishing for forever since he first met him.

“So I just wanted to say that...” Gale says before biting his lip, hesitating at the end, clearly losing his nerve even as Val nods encouragingly at him. 

Gale opens his mouth to speak only to get interrupted by a loud shout.

“Hey there guys! Guess what I got.”

The two turn away from each, violently blushing, and see the source of the shout is Katniss holding up a bag of what’s probably a bunch of berries she picked on the way here. Her expression changes as she takes the sight of them in. Clearly she’s interrupted something but since neither of the guys seem intent on chasing her away, she opens her mouth to speak. Only to decide not in case she read the entire situation incorrectly though if that were the case…Then all the residents of District 12 were all wrong about the direction the relationship between the brother and friend was heading and there’s not way that many people were wrong about the same thing.

“Language Katniss. You’re only 16!” Val scolds her, his blush immediately dying once the first part of her shouting registers.

Katniss rolls her eyes, “Well if I’m old enough to reaped, then I’m old enough to swear.”

“She’s got a point there, Val.”

“Don’t you dare start agreeing with her Gale. Now she’s gonna run her mouth for the rest of the day,” Val groans out.

“Then don’t dish it out if you can’t take it,” Katniss fired back much to Gale’s amusement and Val’s annoyance.

Katniss wanders over to plop down next to Val who glares hard enough at her to lean forward and quietly ask, “Why are you trying to burn holes into my head?”

“Why do you think?” Val hisses through clenched teeth. 

Gale glances over at that to which Val smiles reassuringly. Gale shrugs and returns his attention to the sky while Val returns to glaring at Katniss. She has an eyebrow raised in confusion until Val glares long enough that it all clicks in her head. Her eyes widen in realization as her gaze darts between Val and Gale before her expression turns apologetic. Then it turns annoyed.

“Well how the hell was I supposed to know he was going to make the first move? If you’d just gotten off your ass and done something instead of waiting for him then you wouldn’t be in this mess,” Katniss hisses back.

Val starts to protest, “But-”

“Uh-uh. No. Denied. Rejected. Get over yourself and do something before I stage an intervention with Prim, Rory, and damn it, even Hazel, cause we are all tired of the pining shit going on between you two,” Katniss fires back, refusing to take any of the shit Val’s trying to dish.

Val’s only response is a blush, he’s been doing that a lot lately and he really needs to stop, and sputtering that catches Gale’s attention.

“Everything good?” he asks.

Katniss turns a megawatt, nothing suspicious here, smiles at him, “Oh yeah. I was just making a bet with Val here that he couldn’t catch a berry even if I was standing right in front of him.”

Gale laughs, “Well how about I get in on that bet and wager you a rabbit for your squirrel saying I can catch if from this distance?”

“Deal!” Katniss happily replies, quickly glaring at Val as if to say ‘Stop being an idiot, idiot.’ Val frowns at her but if anyone but him were to be asked, it was more of a pout. Katniss mockingly pats his cheek.

She pulls out a handful of berries from the bag she carried over. 

“May the odds be ever in your favor, good sir,” Katniss says in a surprisingly decent attempt to mimic the accent of their ever so friendly Capitol escort, Effie Trinket. They all laugh as she tosses the berry and Gale catches it in his mouth. 

He stands up and gives an overly dramatic bow as if he were drunk, clearly imitating District 12’s only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy, who was always drunk no matter the time, occasion, or location.

“Why thank you kind lady. You look like a rather remarkable cream puff today,” Gale slurs as he drunkenly stumbles over to where the Everdeen duo is sitting. Katniss and Val laugh harder, clutching their stomachs as Gale seemingly trips on thin air and makes a controlled face plant onto the ground next to them.

The heavy atmosphere that had been hanging around the meadow, despite its peacefulness, seems to lighten. The humor was much needed even though the trio all knew why Effie and Haymitch act the way they do. 

It was years ago during one of their hunting excursions after a Reaping when Gale, during a fit of rage, began to rant about how gleeful Effie always was and how useless Haymitch continues to be in keeping anyone alive. Val decided to elaborate more on the lesson his dad taught him before he died. 

He explained how Effie only acted so cheerful during the Reapings because she was never taught any better. That in the Capitol, all residents were raised on the beliefs that they were doing the Districts a service and that being a participant of the games was an honor that allowed the Victor’s to join their inner Capitol circle. 

How Haymitch drank for what seemed to be every hour of the day, every day, because despite being a Victor, no one ever wins because they lost an important piece of themselves when they come out of that arena. That he probably decided it was better to cut his losses and never get attached rather than fight and hope one of the kids under his wing finally made it through only to suffer the same as he did. 

The only person who can be blamed for that is not the Capitol, but its President, Coriolanus Snow, who continued to perpetuate such evils so that the cycle of misunderstandings and fear could never end.

It had been a rather sobering experience for Katniss and Gale who never thought too deeply into the reasoning behind their hate for the Capitol beyond their living circumstances and the fear of the Games.

Val’s taken out of his musing when Katniss stands.

“Time to go?” he asks.

Katniss nods, “Yeah. It’s about time we head over to the bakery. We need to do our trade before we have to get ready for registration.”

Val nods as he smiles teasingly at her, “Are you sure it’s not just cause you want to see a certain Baker’s son? If you keep visiting so often, I might need to join just so I can make sure nothing hanky panky is happening.”

Katniss blushes as she shoves him, “That’s none of your business. And hanky panky? What are you, 8?”

“Well I’m not the one who seriously thought a 12 year old would take a beating just to give me bread out of pity. You looked like you wanted to punch the poor kid even though he was looking at you like you hung the moon and stars all cause you sing real pretty,” Val shot back.

“When are you ever going to let that go?” Katniss grumbles out.

“Never,” Val laughs out as he helps Gale up, their hands lingering in the hold longer than is necessary before quickly letting go like nothing happened. 

Katniss groans in exasperation, either from a constant reminder of her jaded, yet dumb child self, his continual lack of agency over his situation with Gale, or most likely both. Val ignores her and the trio treks out of the forest and back into the Seam. 

The transition into the Town is obvious with the buildings suddenly having a solid structure without holes or scraps of cloth to substitute for walls. The rough dirt road flattens out and the presence of better dressed and fuller cheeked people becomes known now that it’s the time of day where everyone is now out and about in preparation for the Reaping.

The trio quickly walks through the Town, ignoring all the glances in their direction and the glares at their rough clothing and somewhat dirty appearances. Though the glares do soften as they often do with Val's well-timed waves and polite greetings and small talk to even the most rude of Townies. They reach their destination in record time and stand before a bakery with faded, pale green walls and large windows that display the various frosted treats and fresh goodies it had to offer. Val’s stomach subtly growls as the smell of bread and cookies drift through the air as Katniss opens the door. They all eagerly enter as if chasing the smell will help feed them somehow.

Thankfully for the trio, the people who greet them are Peeta and his father, Mr. Mellark. Peeta, while having grown taller, also grew stockier with his muscles becoming more defined due to the pounds of flour he had to carry around every day. His hair is shorter and a bit paler compared to the longer strands of bright blonde of his youth. Mr. Mellark is a splitting image of his son, though taller and a bit broader at the shoulders. Both of their attitudes were kind and jovial, always ready to give a helping hand in anyway they can. 

It always made Val wonder how these two managed to stay the way they did when Mrs. Mellark was a she-demon from the deepest pits of hell without a single nice bone in her body and a passion for inflicting as much violent rage and control as she physically could in her surprisingly short frame. Though the bony-ness of her limbs could be attributed to her foul attitude considering the damage those elbows inflict when smacking people “on accident.”

Katniss takes a running leap at Peeta who swiftly places a tray of fresh cheese buns on the counter before catching her and twirling her around with such practiced ease that even an outsider could tell this very scenario probably occurred one too many times. Val and Gale both fake gag at the sight while Mr. Mellark gives a full belly laugh as he takes the tray away.

The two lovebirds lean closely until the tips of their noses touch and start whispering greetings and sweet nothings to each other. Val almost wants to actually gag at the sight but his sister’s happiness is worth it, even though he still wants to rip Peeta’s hands away from her hips.

Eventually, the romance between the two grows tiring to look at.

“Alright you two. That’s enough. Kindly separate yourselves before I do something I most certainly won’t regret,” Val calmly states as he steps toward the counter.

“Maybe you should start charging people instead if they insist on giving everyone a free show every time they meet up,” Gale says as he nudges Val with a shit-eating grin.

The two break apart with a blush that has Val smiling. ‘Oh how the tables have turned,’ he thought as Katniss glares and Peeta looks at anywhere but him.

“Why do I still even associate with you two?” Katniss hisses.

“I ask myself that question every day,” Val says with utmost seriousness in his voice but the smile on his face says otherwise.

Katniss rolls her eyes and drags Peeta away so that they can talk with each other without interference from Gale or divine brotherly retribution from Val. Val merely shrugs and lays out the line of squirrels on the counter. Gale follows suit with one of the two lines of rabbits he has hanging over his shoulder. Mr. Mellark whistles, impressed. 

“Always appreciate the way you boys keep your catches clean, especially you Valerian. Always through the eye, just like your old man,” Mr. Mellark.

Val shrugs, “Eh. Katniss is still a better shot than me but I appreciate the compliments, sir.”

“Ha ha! Of course. Your sister’s the sharpest knife there is. Peeta’s always going on about how lucky he is just being able to stand next to her everyday like that.”

Val turns to look at the two who hold each other, elbow length apart, as if there was nothing else in the world except for them. He smiles softly at the sight with such happiness and contentment that he doesn’t realize that Gale is looking at him like he’s the most beautiful person in the world. 

Mr. Mellark smirks at Gale’s love-struck gaze and Val’s continued obliviousness. He really hopes those boys get their shit together soon. Life’s too short to be living with ‘what if’s’ and ‘if only’s.’

Val returns his attention to Mr. Mellark who’s pulled out a bunch of bread and pastries for the two. He separates the baked goods into two piles - one pile has four loaves of bread and a bag of chocolate chip cookies for Gale, the other pile has two loaves of bread, 3 cheese buns, and a bag of frosted cookies for Val.

The two gape at the sight of such a generous trade.

“We can’t take all this,” Val tries to protest.

“And we certainly don’t need your charity,” Gale glares suspiciously at the baker.

Mr Mellark shrugs, unperturbed by Gale’s attitude, “Just think of this as a thank you or even a tip for the medicine little Primrose made during flu season last week. And today’s also a special occasion. Lord knows we need all the positivity and good fortune we can get.”

The two try to protest again but Mr. Mellark crosses his arms with a stern expression on his face, “If you two try to give those loaves and cookies back, I will either toss them to Katniss or straight into the garbage. Your choice.”

That has the both of them blanching at the dual threat of wasted free food and a pissed off Katniss who’s pissed off at their attempt to reject said free food.

“Alright. Fine. You win,” Gale throws his arms up in exasperated surrender. Val nods frantically in agreement. Mr. Mellark smiles and starts packaging everything up, leaving the boys feeling as if they’ve just been conned.

Mr. Mellark hands the packages to them, “Always a pleasure doing business with you boys. See you both tomorrow.”

The two give their goodbyes and make their way towards the exit. 

“I’ll meet you back at the house, Katniss,” Val calls out to her. She makes a sound that lets him know she heard before returning her full attention to Peeta. Val shakes his head in fond exasperation.

As the two teens pass them, Val overhears what they are saying.

“I’ve always been fond of autumn. The colors really make you stand out.” 

“Yeah. Spring’s more Prim’s style and summer’s the only time I’ve seen Val so free and open. I’d also love to get married in the fall. All those colorful leaves and the cool crisp air...” 

“Well, if we ever get married-” 

“What do you mean if? It’s when, when we get married Peeta.” 

A chuckle, “Okay then, when we get married, would you ever want kids?”

A hum, “Maybe when the day comes where we no longer have to live with the fear that we’ll have to send our kids to die.”

“So never?”

“I don’t know. I feel like things are changing. Like they’ve always been changing ever since Val was adopted. Apparently, Gale feels the same.”

“Speaking of Val and Gale...have they?”

“Ha! No, but I wish they’d just stop dancing around each other. Gale tried to make a move today before I accidentally interrupted them. And instead of just shooing me away, they dropped the whole thing entirely.”

“Do we need to stage an intervention? Cause it’s starting to get a bit sad.”

Katniss laughs, bright and loud, just as Val and Gale step outside the bakery and the she-demon, Mrs. Mellark makes her appearance.

“And what on earth is going on here!” Mrs. Mellark’s rough, screechy voice barks throughout the bakery.

Val and Gale quickly backtrack into the bakery and see how Mrs. Mellark standing behind the counter like an executioner preparing to chop the heads off death row inmates. Katniss and Peeta quickly separate themselves as Mrs. Mellark advances upon them. Mr. Mellark tries to intervene but a quick smack to the face with a bony elbow deters him. Val seethes at the blatant abuse.

“I thought I told you to stop interacting with the Seam riff-raff, Peeta,” Mrs. Mellark spat out, “But I guess that’s because you’re still the no good useless son who decided to shack up with a Seam slut instead of listening to your hard working mother for once.”

Katniss goes red with indignation while Val actually sees red before launching himself at Mrs. Mellark. Or he would be if it weren’t for Gale who holds him back from doing something stupid that he knows he’ll regret.

“She’s not worth it Val,” Gale calmly states.

Val huffs and pushes Gale’s arms away. He walks over and grabs Katniss’ hand.

“Let’s go home, Katniss,” he grounds out.

Katniss silently follows, glancing back apologetically at Peeta, as Val marches them out of the bakery. Gale follows while glaring daggers and pitchforks at Mrs. Mellark who crosses her arms in vicious triumph over a self-perceived battle that anyone else would say was just straight up harassment. Mr. Mellark and Peeta can only stand there, helpless to do anything but wave goodbye.

“I’ll see you at the plaza,” Peeta calls out to Katniss who smiles and nods. 

This unfortunately sets off Mrs. Mellark who starts screaming abuse at Peeta as the bakery door shuts behind the trio. Even with the door closed, Mrs. Mellark’s grating voice can be heard as clearly as if she were speaking into a microphone right next to them.

The trio split when they arrive back at the Seam. Gale waves goodbye, leaving the two with a promise to meet up later after registration. Katniss and Val, who has let go of her hand by now, travel in silence the rest of the way back.

As Katniss boils silently over Mrs. Mellark and fantasizes of vicious ways to murder her and free Peeta, Val silently renews his vows to keep his sister safe and to ensure her happiness will never be taken away. 

Katniss and Peeta deserve the fantasy life that they were dreamily speaking of, even though he’s confused by what Katniss meant by how his presence has caused some sort of change that could potentially affect the Capitol’s control. He shakes the thought away. It’s no use to be thinking of such things. He only needs to focus on making sure his sisters are safe and well and, most importantly, happy. 

After all, he still owes them a debt he has yet to repay in full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray! I finally finished this chapter! I hope you don’t mind the tangents and attempts at humor. Also, hope the relationships and build up (or lack thereof) are believable and make sense. I never really tried writing romance and pairings in depth before and the only exposure to them that I’ve had are books, movies, TV shows, and friends where I look away for a second and bam, they’re in a relationship that’s lasting throughout and even after college. 
> 
> And to be honest, you never know how a relationship is actually supposed to progress or how it's supposed to look because the media always tries to showcase a narrative like this is what a relationship is supposed to look like - loving, passionate, and full of way too much misunderstandings and drama. Then when you actually enter a relationship, it doesn’t really turn out to be everything the media portrays and is actually a lot of work, like a shit ton of work. I’m more interested in pursuing my goals than any relationships at the moment so I hope you don’t mind if the relationships I write about aren’t accurate or seem unnatural to you. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and I hope to see everyone at the next chapter!


	7. May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for the Reaping has come. The first tribute will always be Katniss and the second will always be Peeta, that will never change. But the one who chooses to volunteer? The butterfly flaps its wings and the typhoon soon appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Just so you know, I’m going off of my 6+ year old memories of the films and books. I haven’t re-watched or re-read anything and don’t plan to so there will be things that don’t match the established canon or details that I get wrong or rewrite because I don’t remember or don’t like. I’m only saying this now in case some readers get up in arms about the changes I’ve made, especially since once we really jump into the story (like we will this chapter), there will be A LOT of changes. 
> 
> I have a lot of plans because while I did like the series, it was too bogged down by the YA elements for the themes to really stick. Like, no joke, I read a blog review for The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes and the lady actually wrote how she enjoyed the games aspects until she had kids of her own and realized how truly sickening they were like wtf??? But I prefer not to go on a tangent again so let’s just get this chapter started!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

By the time Katniss and Val return home, the sun is high in the sky and every Seam resident is awake and going about their business albeit with sluggish and reluctant movements as if they could somehow delay or stretch time by simply moving as slow as possible. They still exchange greetings with every resident they cross paths with though each side dare not engage in small talk for too long despite their wishes to treat the day like it's any other. 

They all know better than to dilly-dally and waste any time that could be spent on more productive activities. There's no need to drag the day out longer than it has to be. The Reaping's already anxiety inducing enough as it is.

As the two step through the door, they are greeted with the sight of Mrs. Everdeen, no, Clara, wait still not right, their _mother_ and Prim dressed in their nicest clean clothes, setting the table for a late breakfast.

“Oh! Welcome back you two,” Mother says with a tired smile as she finishes placing plates and utensils.

“Welcome back!” Prim says excitedly, bouncing over to give them both a hug.

“Morning Prim,” Katniss smiles gently at Prim though she only gives a cold nod of acknowledgement to mother. 

Val sighs. Even after all these years, Katniss had still not forgiven her for shutting down when the children desperately needed her. 

_“She’s just hurting and grieving in her own way. How would you react if you lost the one person you left everything you ever knew just for the love you shared?”_ Val had tried to explain back when Katniss demanded an explanation from their then catatonic mother on why she wasn’t responding to them.

 _“She’s not the only one who lost him. We did too! And it hurts just as much if not more that she won’t even acknowledge that!”_ Katniss had angrily shouted in return before giving their mother another plea, another shake, anything to get her to acknowledge them. That was the last time she ever bothered to try and since then, even when their mother’s mind returned, Katniss refused to forgive or forget.

“Morning you two.” Val responds as he hands the bag of baked goods off to Prim. She takes it over to mother who in turn takes out and lays each item on the kitchen counter. Prim cheers excitedly when she spots the clear bag of cookies with delicate floral frosting designs. 

“You can thank Peeta for that,” Katniss told her, “He wanted to make it extra special for you.”

“I’ll thank him when I see him later today then!” 

“Shall we eat now?” Val asked.

Mother shakes her head, “Why don’t you two clean up and change before you eat? I’ve laid down some clothes for you.”

Val smiles gratefully at her while Katniss simply nods coldly again and stalks off to the bedroom without a word. His expression turns apologetic but mother merely gives a small rueful smile.

“It’s alright. You don’t need to apologize for her. I know she’ll never forgive me, especially for what I did back then,” she said.

“But it’s been 4 years,” Val protests, “That’s too long to be holding a grudge. You’ve been doing your best to make it up to her ever since.”

“That’s just the way she is, dear, and I wouldn’t want her to change just so she could forgive me for something I will always regret” mother evenly says, “Besides, it’s that fire within her that draws people in and makes her so unique. Just like you.”

Val is taken aback, “Me? Fire? I don’t think so.”

Mother chuckles, “And you two are very alike, never being able to see the effect you can have on people. I will be forever glad that Ed brought you back with him all those years ago. The District’s become a much brighter place ever since you’ve become an official part of our family.”

“I don’t see it... I’m just a boy who’s lost his family only to get a second chance to do right by his new one who was kind enough to take him in when they didn’t have,” Val responds.

Mother merely smiles and shrugs, “You better go clean up. Katniss should be done with the tub by now.”

Val nods and heads off to the bathroom where indeed a clean Katniss wrapped in a long thin towel, stares at the articles of clothing on the bed. He takes a look himself and gapes. On the bed is a fine, light blue dress made of cotton that was clearly their mother’s and a crisp clean white shirt and light brown slacks that was their father’s. The clothes were much too clean and much too nice to be wearing to a Reaping.

Val turns to the open doorway where mother stands.

“We can’t wear this,” he tries to protest only to be cut off by her tsking.

“You can and you will. I want you both to look your best no matter the occasion,” she replied.

Katniss nods, slightly teary eyed though it might just be a trick of the light since in the next blink the tears were gone. 

Val sighs and rubs at the back of his head, “Alright. You win.”

Mother grins triumphantly, “Good. Now go wash off. Time’s a-wastin.”

Val heads into the bathroom where a new tub of water sits, courtesy of Katniss. He strips himself of his clothes and slips into the lukewarm water. While he’s scrubbing away the dirt from the woods, Val can’t help but think about what Katniss and mother had said about him. 

‘Effect? What effect could they possibly be talking about?’ he thought, ‘I’m an ordinary boy from 2 now living in 12 and trying to make the best out of a bad situation. There’s no effect to be had.’

He shakes his head, ‘Ugh. I’ll never understand women.’

Once he’s done scrubbing, Val gets out of the tub to towel himself dry with another long, thin towel. He wraps it around his waist before heading back into the bedroom where the clothes await. He only hesitates for a moment before changing into them. Then he hesitates again once the feel of the shirt and slacks settles in. They are definitely of higher quality and reminds Val of the semi-formal wear he was always forced into when his family back in 2 went to special events. His heart pangs with the usual stab of grief for his lost family, though time and the Everdeens have greatly softened the impact.

Val straightens his shirt before leaving the bedroom. The Everdeen women are seated and waiting for him at the table. 

“Finally,” Katniss snarked, “I thought women were the ones who are supposed to take 3 hours to get ready.”

“What can I say? It takes time to look as amazing as I do,” Val grins cheekily while gesturing towards his body and face.

Prim giggles while Katniss fake gags. Mother smiles at the sight.

“Alright then! Let’s eat,” she says.

The family happily digs into their food. Val scarfs down cooked eggs and chews on sliced, freshly baked bread with various fruit jam spreads. Katniss happily chomps down on her cheese buns while Prim contentedly nibbles at her cookies. All food is washed down with fresh milk from Prim’s goat, Lady. Buttercup sits on the windowsill, eyeing his humans like they’re all barbarians for eating with their hands.

After they are all fed and watered, mother gathers the dishes while Katniss helps Prim get ready by the door. Val sees Katniss tuck in the back of Prim’s shirt that had been sticking out like a ducktail.

“Tuck in your tail, little duck,” Katniss teases.

Prim giggles, “Quack, quack.”

Val hates to break up the moment, but he has to, “Time to go.”

Katniss nods, her smile dropping and Prim stops giggling as fear slowly enters her heart. Val frowns and goes to crouch before her.

“It’s going to be okay Prim. Nothing will happen to you. You wanna know how I know that?”

Prim shakily nods her head. Val pulls out his mother’s pin. He rubs at its surface with a melancholic gaze.

“This pin was my mother’s,” Val explained, making both Prim and Katniss look at him with wide eyes, “And every time she wore it, she would have the best luck ever. She wore it when she got her first job, when she met my father, when I was born, and so much more. So it became her lucky pin.”

Val holds it out to Prim, “And now it is yours.”

Prim’s eyes widen even further. She reaches out with hesitant hands. Val nods encouragingly and she takes it, gripping the pin tightly. 

He smiles, “Whenever you’re feeling scared, just hold that pin real tight and you’ll always be safe.”

Prim nods tearfully and hugs him. Val hugs back as Katniss and mother look on fondly. Unfortunately, time waits for no one and the two reluctantly let go. Val ushers the girls out of the house with mother following along at a slower pace.

They join the large crowd already making their way to the Justice Building plaza before separating from mother as the three Everdeen children line up for registration.

“It’ll be super quick Prim. And then once you’re through, you just keep your eyes on us. Even though we’re all in different groups, Val and I will be close by,” Katniss instructs an increasingly nervous Prim.

The three separate into their respective age and gender groups. Val makes sure to keep his eyes on Katniss and Prim, barely feeling the prick of the needle as he makes his way past the registration table.

Katniss’ gaze darts between him and Prim. Prim calms once she’s through and moves to an area within her group where she can still see and make eye contact with her siblings.

“You alright?” Gale’s voice asks from right next to him.

Val prides himself in only jumping a little before turning to respond to him, “Yeah. Just worried about Prim since it’s her first Reaping and all.”

“Yeah. I get that. It’s Rory’s first one too and then we gotta go through the same song and dance once Vick and Posy get old enough.”

Val goes to respond, hoping to calm Gale as he places a reassuring hand on his arm. He’s unable to even get a word out when the click of heels and the screech of a microphone feedback rings throughout the plaza. 

It’s Effie Trinket in all her Capitol glory. This time she’s wearing a bright yet somehow subdued magenta colored dress with puffy shoulders and a layered skirt. There’s a large magenta rose placed in her expertly curled, platinum blonde hair. Her face is caked in white face powder and bright magenta lipstick.

Val drops his hand though Gale moves closer so that their shoulders touch in an attempt to reassure each other. Effie clears her throat and the crowd goes completely silent though the stares and glares coming from them speak volumes.

Not even a moment later, a video plays on the large screen behind her. It’s the usual Reaping Day video. The one where the narrator goes on and on about how the Capitol is great entity that everyone in the Districts should bow and pray to like some sort of God. That the rebellion to overthrow it resulted in the complete destruction of the 13th District accompanied by what was supposed to be live or at least, recent footage of the district’s ruined buildings. It’s a barren wasteland that serves as a reminder to never attempt to rise against the Capitol again or else another district will meet the same fate. Then it all wraps up with a monologue about how the Games, while a reminder to not rebel, was a mercy that the Capitol so graciously granted. 24 lives of children and teenagers for the continued peace under the Capitol’s benevolent hand.

It was sickening.

Thankfully the video ends and Effie clears her throat again while wiping her eyes as if a propaganda video from an oppressive military government was actually the amazing life of a cute little puppy.

“Well, wasn’t that delightful?” Effie asks in a light yet completely serious and un-ironic tone.

No one answers because everyone fears the response if they even dare to speak what was truly on their minds. Effie takes the silence with a sniff of disdain towards what she perceives as the ingratitude of the District 12 citizens towards the merciful Capitol.

“Good morning, everyone!!” she cries out cheerfully with her arms spread out.

No one applauses or makes a single sound. 

Effie continues on, her voice cheerful and a bit pitchy, “Now I know you are all eagerly awaiting your chance to attain the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games. I, myself, look forward to meeting the lucky young man and woman who will be chosen to represent your fine district.”

“So, without further ado, let us begin and may the odds be ever in your favor” she clasps her hands together with a bright smile, “As usual, ladies first.”

She walks to one of the two round glass bowls containing a massive amount of folded paper slips and delicately sticks her hand into it. She circles her hand around playfully above the slips as if to build eager anticipation, before snatching one and walking back to the microphone stand. After placing the microphone back, she slowly opens the slip. 

Val’s hearts beats rapidly in anticipation, his eyes squeezed and hands clenched together in prayer as he whispers “Not Prim or Katniss. Not Prim or Katniss. Not Prim or Katniss,” in a quiet mantra.

“Katniss Everdeen.”

Val’s heart stops. He opens his eyes and looks up in disbelief, the impact of the words yet to settle. His gaze darts about until he locks eyes with a rapidly paling Katniss who meets his gaze like a deer one second away from an arrow through the eye. 

“Ms. Katniss Everdeen? Where are you?” Effie calls out playfully.

The girls around Katniss immediately step away, singling her out.

Effie waves an impatient hand at her, “Come, come Ms. Everdeen. Let us not dilly dally.”

Katniss takes trembling steps forward but is stopped when Prim bursts through the sea of girls and clings to her side.

“No! Katniss! No! NO!” Prim cries out in despair.

Val and Gale move to them only to stop when Peeta appears and gently pulls Prim away from Katniss. He’s whispering something to her, probably something comforting, before looking to Katniss. The two stare at each other, trying to memorize every detail of their faces and attempting to extend the moment as long as they can because it just might be the last time they’ll see each other. Katniss surges forward and pulls Peeta into a passionate kiss. Val’s heart clenches at the sight.

Effie, though pleasantly surprised by the display of love, grows impatient and signals the Peacekeepers to move. They march towards Katniss and yank her away from Peeta.

Prim cries out again, hand desperately reaching out to her sister, but she’s still held back by Peeta who has his arms wrapped around her. Katniss goes to say something but decides not to and instead, lifts three fingers to her lips and salutes them out to Peeta and Prim. 

Prim is now full on sobbing as Peeta responds by returning her gesture. Gale places a hand on Val’s shoulder and it’s only then that he realizes he’s crying as well.

Everyone can only watch as the Peacekeepers escort Katniss up to the stands, only leaving her when she’s next to Effie.

“What a passionate display! I do enjoy a good love story. It always makes the Games so much more exciting!” she exclaims, clapping excitedly to herself, “Now let us give a big round of applause to our female tribute, Katniss Everdeen!”

Again, no response. And again, their silence rings louder than spoken words as the citizens of District 12 stand together in solidarity.

Effie chuckles uncomfortably as the peacekeepers stand ready to intervene on her signal. She waves them off and they stand down.

“Well then,” she continues but her demeanor shows she is clearly uncomfortable in a way she wasn’t before, “Let’s move on to the men shall we?”

She walks quickly over to the other bowl, heels click clacking on the wooden stage. The sound rings throughout the air but Val can’t hear any of that. He’s still staring in disbelief as Katniss continues to stand on the stage with her head held high and her fists clenched in an effort to hold back her tears.

When Effie reaches the bowl, she decides to forgo the previous playfulness and just snatches a slip of paper from the bowl without preamble. She swiftly turns on her heel and walks back to the microphone. With quick efficiency, she opens the slip and clears her throat.

“Peeta Mellark.”

A collective gasp rings throughout the crowd as they start whispering to each other. Katniss clasps her hands over her mouth, her efforts to stop her tears are now in vain. Val’s ears are ringing, his heart beating wildly as his mind struggles to register the name that was announced. 

He turns to look at Peeta who’s still with shock. The crowd around him quickly steps away so that Effie’s able to immediately spot him.

“Well come on. Don’t just stand there,” she says, impatiently waving him over, “Come, come, come.”

Peeta moves to step forward but is stopped by weight stuck to his side. He looks and sees it’s Prim, pale, in tears, and tightly clutching onto his shirt. He gently removes her hands even as she’s shaking her head, eyes closed as if it were all just a bad dream - her beloved sister and her future husband (at least in Prim’s opinion), chosen like cows for slaughter.

Once she’s no longer holding him, Peeta walks forward, his steps surprisingly steady considering the situation. It’s only when he’s halfway to the stage does the entire situation finish registering in Val’s mind and a split second later, he reacts.

Gale, having caught his expression, tries to reach out and stop him, “Val, wait-”

Val ignores him and pushes his way through the crowd to the open pathway that split the girls from the boys. The commotion attracts the Peacekeepers’ attention to him and they move to intercept. They grab him by the shoulders and try to forcibly push him back but he refuses to budge.

Katniss also notices him and realizes what he’s about to do.

“Wait! Val don’t-” Katniss tries to protest but she’s too late.

“I volunteer!” he shouts.

The crowd grows quiet. The Peacekeepers drop their hands away from him in shock. Effie gapes like a fish, blinking in surprise.

Val holds his head high and speaks in a clear, unwavering voice, “I volunteer as tribute.”

Prim tries to rush forward to Val but is blocked by Gale who quickly grabs her from behind. She’s reaching out again, towards Katniss, towards Val, like she can draw them back to her through sheer will power. But unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Prim’s knees buckle in her despair with Gale the only person holding her up. Her crying voice sounds out like a death keel. Gale’s suspiciously wet eyes meet Val’s gaze. The two nod at each other, a silent conversation held within those few seconds.

Effie blinks in surprise before realizing she still has a job to do, “I...um...I believe we have a volunteer!”

Val looks away from Prim and Gale. He walks over to where Peeta stands, face ashen. He pulls him into a hug that has Peeta looking in surprise at the display of affection. “I’m going to make sure she gets back to you,” Val whispers to him.

Peeta gapes as the words register, “What-no...Val you can’t just-”

“I promised to myself that I would always protect my sisters’ happiness no matter what. And besides,” Val steps away to give Peeta a tight lipped smile, “No take backs.”

Peeta can only stare as Val continues his steady walk to the stage. He glances around at the crowd watches him, staring wide-eyed at either his complete bravery or utter stupidity. His eyes meet Katniss’ who, despite the tears, looks ready to tear Val a new one as soon as he stepped within arm’s reach. It was almost comforting to see something so familiar despite his ill-advised leap into the unknown.

His heart thunders in his ears, blocking out all sounds, thumping in time with each step he takes. His breathing is surprisingly even, though that could be because if he allowed the situation to truly set in, he’d probably pass out from a panic attack. 

Finally, he reaches the stage and takes the steps - one, two, three, four, five - up and towards Effie - six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, ha, twelve - who holds her hand out to welcome him.

“And what might your name be dear?” she asks, genuinely encouraging.

She directs him to answer into the microphone. 

“Valerian Everdeen,” he manages to choke out, looking out into the crowd and anywhere but at the people he loves who he knows are trying to wrap their heads around the fact that he willingly volunteered for a death sentence.

“Oh! So you’re the lovely Ms. Everdeen’s brother then? Well, that does explain it. You didn’t want your sister to get all of the glory. I’m so excited! There’s never been a sibling rivalry in the Games before,” Effie chirps out, delighted at the information.

“First time for everything, right?” Val jokingly throws out, only for the joke to fall flat for everyone but Effie who giggles, “You’re such charmer.”

Val smiles like that’s exactly what he was going for even though it really wasn’t and everyone but Effie knows it. He chances a quick side-glance at Katniss and is met with the full force of a glare that promises pain and suffering and if he didn’t shut his mouth, she’d punch him on live television. He starts praying that Effie will just jump straight to the end instead of doing the customary handshake. 

Unfortunately for him, Effie notices Katniss’ expression and smiles, “Why don’t you two shake hands and be good sports before you start fighting each other. After all, you’re not even in the arena yet!”

Val swallows thickly as he holds his hand out for Katniss to shake. She glares at the offending appendage then at him. He closes his eyes and braces for impact. Instead of the usual feeling of a punch to the face and a fall to the ground, arms wrap tightly around him.

Val slowly opens his eyes and sees that Katniss has embraced him instead. Her shoulders shake as she cries into his shirt. He can feel it slowly dampening.

“You idiot. You fucking idiot. Why are you so fucking stupid?” she demands.

Val laughs weakly, “Language Katniss. You kiss Peeta with that mouth?”

And there’s the death glare of pain and suffering again. Thankfully for Val, Effie interrupts before Katniss actually punches him.

“What another lovely display of passion. I can just feel the sibling connection! Oh! This year’s Hunger Games will surely be a spectacle,” she twitters before continuing on, “Let’s give our courageous tributes a round of applause!”

It’s almost like a running joke now, the silence of the crowd.

Effie tries to take it in stride, deciding to clap enough for the people herself. Immediately after she finishes, the crowd moves in unison. Every single person - male, female, young, old - lifts three fingers from their right hand up to their lips and salutes them out towards Val and Katniss. 

The two can only blink in surprise at the gesture. They know what it means. It was an old and rarely used gesture from the days back when the District was first founded that was occasionally seen at funerals. It meant thanks, it meant admiration, it meant goodbye to someone that you love. It was also District 12’s symbol of revolution during the rebellion. And the fact that the entire District 12 population was using such a bold, treasonous symbol for their Reaping, was humbling.

Val looks to Katniss who also looks to him. They were both touched and speechless that the two were important and loved enough by the District that everyone was willing to be punished just so they could give their farewells. Maybe Katniss really was onto something about change.

Val looks to Effie who is clearly uncomfortable by the display. The Peacekeepers, off her expression, arm themselves and stand ready to move. 

Fortunately, before either Effie or the Peacekeepers could move, Haymitch Abernathy somehow manages to conveniently stumble onto the stage. He’s clearly drunk out of his mind if his haggard face, haphazardly put on clothes, and the half-empty whiskey bottle in his hand are any indication.

Effie startles when Haymitch limps his way to the microphone. She quickly backs away from his dirty form reeking heavily of alcohol. Val and Katniss scrunch their noses at the smell but it’s nothing they’re not already used to.

“I-I like these kids! They’ve got...a...a lot of...of...whazit called...spunk! Yeah! Spunk!” Haymitch shouts out, his words slurring together. 

“More than this pink cream puff!” he shouts while pointing at Effie who lifts her nose in the air in disdain.

“More than these white stick men!” he points at the Peacekeepers who’ve lifted their firearms and aimed directly at him, though he pays them no mind. He’s moving away from the microphone to the edge of the stage.

“And certainly more than you!” he stabs his finger in the direction of the Capitol camera crew. It’s clear to everyone exactly who he’s pointing at as they all stare in shock and amazement at his drunk yet bold actions. They all eagerly watch to see what he will do next.

“And...and...and...” Haymitch slurs out, eyes rapidly blinking. His body sways as he tries and fails to form his next words. He takes a step forward and tips over the edge, falling forward with all the grace of a headless chicken.

The crowd in front backs away so as to not get caught underneath him. He lands with a loud thud onto the packed dirt floor. Everyone on the stage and near the front of the stage lean to see if he’s alright. Apart from a few scraps and bruises, Haymitch is completely fine as he cuddles his whiskey bottle like a teddy bear and curls up for an impromptu nap on the ground.

Everyone stares at him before a curt “Ahem” returns their attention to Effie who has returned to her place by the microphone.

“Thank you all for participating in the Reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games. We will now lead our tributes away to the Justice Building where they will have the chance to offer their goodbyes before beginning their exciting journey to the Capitol!” Effie exclaims as Peacekeepers step forward to lead Val and Katniss into said Justice Building. 

The two try to catch glimpses of Prim, Peeta, Gale, and their mother but the crowds are already dispersing, making it hard to pick them out. The doors to the separate waiting rooms open. Effie continues to speak as they are both shoved into different rooms. 

“Broadcasting for the Tribute Ceremony will be tomorrow night and the official commencement of the Games will be precisely one week after.”

Val stumbles, almost tripping but manages to catch himself. He quickly turns to make eye contact with Katniss who’s still pale from fear and anger. The doors slowly close with Effie’s final words.

“Thank you for another successful Reaping. I will see you all soon again. Until then, happy Hunger Games!”

The doors close with a loud click, like the final nail in the coffin.

Val stands in complete silence, unsure of what to do next except hope that he will be able to keep his promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the Reaping guys. Next chapter's going to be out super soon like next day or two soon cause I cut the next part out to form a new chapter because I felt it was getting a little too long and dragging out a little, which I hope it didn't from your perspective. I usually do 10-15 doc pages for each chapter and adding in the farewells would definitely make this chapter longer than 15 pages.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and I hope to see everyone at the next chapter soon! Until then!


	8. No Good in Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goodbyes are had and each visitor gives Val unexpected surprises that both motivate his will to fight and break his heart for he still has a promise to fulfill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Look! Super soon update! This is probably never really going to happen again, unless it does, so I hope you guys don’t mind the change in updating schedule. This may or may not mean that the next update will be a bit slower but I’ll do my best to make sure that the update schedule stays on time. Also, this chapter is a bit shorter because, like I said previously, I didn’t really want to put the visitor goodbyes in the same chapter as the Reaping because I feel these are two different story beats with different feels to them. I hope you guys are enjoying this story in the meantime!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just “It’s bad.” I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I’m always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any worldbuilding that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Not even a minute after it closes, the door opens.

“You’ve got 5 minutes,” the deep voice of a Peacekeeper says.

Val looks up from where he sits on the couch and quickly gets off with his arms open. Prim full on charges into his arms for a lung-crushing hug. Their mother walks in slowly behind her.

“Oof!” Val dramatically gasps out, “Have you been taking lessons from Katniss, little duck?”

Prim leans away from the hug and balls up her fists to beat at his chest. Val actually winces at the force behind her tiny hands. He grabs her hands and holds them tightly though Prim struggles to free herself to continue beating him up some more.

“Ouch. You really have been hanging around her too much if you can pack a punch like this,” he teases, trying desperately to lighten the atmosphere or at least get Prim to stop crying.

“Why did you do that? This is exactly what you promised me you wouldn’t do and you just went and did it anyway!” she cried out, struggling even harder.

“Heh, I promised that Katniss and I wouldn’t do anything to protect you. I didn’t say anything about Peeta,” Val points out.

Prim glares through his flimsy loophole, “I’m not stupid you know.”

“I didn’t say you were,” Val gently responded.

“You’re the stupid one. Doing stupid things, even though I told you not to. I hate you,” she declares with utmost sincerity, which is completely ruined by the tears in her eyes.

“No you don’t,” he says.

“No I don’t,” she agrees.

Prim hugs him again, not as back breaking as before but still just as tight like if she were to let go, he would disappear. And Val’s heart clenches because he might as well be disappearing.

“I’m sorry Prim. I know I promised you this morning that I wasn’t going to do anything stupid but I had already made a promise to myself ever since your dad, our dad, took me in. He chose to help me when I needed it the most and you all showed me a kindness that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully repay. So I made a vow, all those years ago, that I was going to do everything in my power to protect you and Katniss. To always protect your happiness no matter what. Do you understand?”

Prim nods, “But I still think you’re stupid.”

Val smiles widely, “That’s my girl.”

The two release each other from the hug, though reluctantly, and Val moves towards their mother. He stands before her, taking in her appearance. Clara Everdeen, the strong mother with gentle, healing hands who was born a Townie only to run away with a Seamer for love. She seemed to have aged 30 years in the last few minutes, her eyes unfocused as if she were in a waking dream. Keeping in mind her frail mental state, Val gently places his hands on her shoulders.

“Mom,” he says in a clear, even tone.

She looks at him, her gaze taking a moment to clearly focus on him. They start to tear up, “Oh my poor boy. You always seem to have the worst luck.”

Val smiles softly, not noticing Prim perk up behind them and scramble for something tucked into her skirt.

“You know me, mom. Always gotta be testing the limits.”

She smiles back at him though it drops when Val’s expression turns serious.

“Mom. You need to listen carefully. You have to promise that you won’t shut down, not like you did all those years ago. You have to swear that you won’t leave no matter what you see on that screen because Prim can’t afford to be taking care of herself and you. She needs you and she doesn’t deserve having to fear if her mom will ever be her mom again.”

Mother nods, her expression serious yet full of regret, “I’ll always regret what happened back then. But you don’t need to worry about us, dear. We’ve still got that trade system going with the Hawthorne’s and I’m sure the Mellark’s would be willing to chip in for some medicine. Prim can help me out with the Hub residents, keep those trades going with the meat and supplies from the last hunt. I used to go there quite often with your father before I had Primrose. For now, don’t worry about us and just focus on getting the two of you back home.”

Val bites his lip, “I can’t promise that. Not with the way the Games work and I highly doubt they’ll be changing it anytime soon.”

“But can you promise that you’ll at least try?”

Val nods. The two share a hug when the Peacekeeper knocks on and opens the door.

“Time’s up.”

Val lets go and Prim rushes in for another hug. The Peacekeeper marches over to grab Prim, pulling her away just as she shoves something small and familiar into his hands. Val looks at his mom’s old pin and then to Prim in surprise. 

Prim simply smiles and says, “To protect you and Katniss.”

Val closes his hands over the pin, “I love you little duck.”

“I love you too, Val!” Prim shouts as she and mother are dragged out of the room. The door slams shut again.

Val leans his head towards his closed fists. Eyes squeezing shut in an effort to reign in his turbulent emotions. Soon the door opens again. 

“5 minutes,” the Peacekeeper states in a flat tone.

Val’s eyes widen in surprise when he sees a greatly upset Peeta and grateful, though saddened, Mr. Mellark walk in.

Peeta immediately demands, “Why did you have to go and volunteer, Val? Katniss and I could’ve-”

“Exactly, you and Katniss,” Val cuts him off, “That was the problem.”

“But-”

“No Peeta. You know the Games. I know, your father knows, everyone knows. Do you really believe that you and Katniss, no matter what angle you play, would’ve had even a snowball’s chance in hell in getting the both of you out of there?”

“Well...no-”

“Exactly. At least this way, I’ll be able to make sure that Katniss makes it home and back to you and her family.”

“But what about you?” Peeta asks sadly.

Val frowns, “What about me?”

This time, Peeta’s the one frowning, “What do you mean what about you? You’re her big brother, her protector, the only one she can rely on and go to whenever she has a problem. She can always find someone new to love, someone who will treat her like the queen she is.”

“But you do treat her like a queen, Peeta. She loves you so much and it would break her if you die,” Val protested at Peeta’s self-depreciation.

“And she would become a shell of herself if you died,” Peeta shot back.

“I’m not even her real brother. I was adopted into the family so even though it’s crude, she will get over it if I do die. She’s strong like that, stronger than I’ll ever be,” Val waved off.

“Now who’s the one being self-deprecating?”

Val tries to protest but Peeta cuts him off, “You really have no idea do you?”

Now Val is very confused, “No idea what?”

“How much you mean to her, to Prim and to Gale and to everyone in the Seam, even to some in the Town?” Peeta asks.

“What is that supposed to mean? What effect? I’m just an older brother who just wants to protect his sister’s happiness and keep his family safe. If I happen to help other people out along the way, so be it,” Val responds, still very confused.

Peeta shakes his head as if Val was the one being cryptic and stupid, not him.

“Never mind. Forget I said anything. Just...” Peeta says, hesitating before continuing on, “I know it’ll be impossible for you both to win, this year’s games are not a Quarter Quell, so nothing special will happen I know that. But...can you at least try to make sure you both are the last ones standing? Before the end?”

“That’s the only way I can ensure that Katniss survives, so yes. I promise,” Val vows, expression and voice completely serious.

Peeta nods and moves to step back to allow his father to step forward but Val stops him with a hand clamping down on his shoulder. It squeezes him tightly as Val’s expression starts to grow scary. His protective older brother instincts are rising to the surface.

“But you have to promise me that you’ll always love and cherish my sister for as long as the two of you are together. If she breaks it off with you, you accept it with grace. If you break up with her, you better hope it’s an amicable and mutual break because I swear to all the higher powers up there, if you dare to break her heart or hurt her in any way, shape or form, I will come back from the grave to exact revenge on you,” Val promises with a terrifying smile on his face.

Peeta frantically nods, “I-I promise! I’ll never hurt her! I swear! She means too much to me and if I ever do hurt her, inadvertently or not, may lightning strike me down where I stand!”

Val nods, satisfied with the response. He releases his hold on Peeta, now pale and shaking from the overabundance of overprotective brother energy. Peeta actually jumps a foot in the air when the Peacekeeper knocks on the door and opens it.

“Time’s up.”

Peeta clears his throat and straightens himself much to Val’s amusement. He holds his hand out for Val to shake. Val looks at the hold and grabs it, before pulling him into a hug.

“Make sure you take care of her once she comes back,” Val says.

“I will. I promise,” Peeta responds.

Val releases Peeta from the hug and he reluctantly walks to the door. 

Mr. Mellark nods at him, expression thankful, “Thank you for what you did. My family will never forget what you did for our Peeta. We’ll make sure they’ll never starve.”

“Thank you,” Val responds, touched by Mr. Mellark’s kind gesture.

Mr. Mellark smiles and holds out a small bag of cookies frosted with Primrose, Katniss, and Valerian flowers. It’s beautiful and obviously Peeta’s handiwork.

“For the two of you,” he says.

Val gently takes the bag. He nods, not trusting his voice at the moment as tears well up in his eyes. 

Mr. Mellark pats him encouragingly on the back, “Don’t go down without a fight. Make sure the two of you give em hell. We’ll all be rooting for you both to come home, no matter how impossible it may be.”

“Get out,” the Peacekeeper impatiently demands.

Val can only watch as the two quickly walk out the room at the Peacekeeper’s insistence and the door closes behind them. He looks down at the cookies and smiles, gently tracing the designs. 

He looks up with a frown when he hears the door slam open and the flustered voice of the Peacekeeper shout out, “H-hey! You’ve only got 5 minutes!” 

“Val!”

Suddenly Val is met with the sight of a rather pissed off Gale who marches over to him like a man on a mission. He braces himself for the inevitable impact, whether it be words or fists depending on how truly angry he is.

Apparently Gale wasn’t as angry as Val thought if the rant he has going on is any indication. He’s even flailing his arms around to help get his point across.

“I can’t believe that I became friends with such a self-sacrificing idiot! I expected this insane and idiotic behavior from Katniss cause everyone and their mothers know the lengths she’s willing to go to if god forbid, _Primrose_ , was the one who got reaped. But holy shit! I never expected you to volunteer for Peeta of all people. And I get it, you don’t want your sister to go through the games with her boyfriend and have to fight for the both of them cause we all know Peeta has the survival instincts of a rock but that doesn’t excuse you from fucking _volunteering_ in the first place! We’re a team! We could’ve found another solution or alternative or something that didn’t involve you volunteering to a death sentence. You could’ve at least asked for my help before diving in head first like the _idiot_ you usually _aren’t_!”

“Okay, I get it, you’re mad,” Val says as he rolls his eyes.

“Mad? You think I’m mad? Oh, I am way past mad. I am _pissed_ ,” Gale hisses, “Just _what_ were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?” 

Val sighs, “Of course, I wasn’t thinking. There was no time to think things through or ask for your help. My body just reacted and by the time my brain caught up, I was already standing on that stage.”

“But why? Why was that your first reaction?” Gale asked, arms falling down to his sides and shoulders losing their previous tension.

Val looks down and away from Gale. He knows what he’ll say even if he explained his actions. Unfortunately, Gale wasn’t having it.

“Val?” Gale sighs at Val’s sudden inability to speak, “Come on, man. At the very least, you owe me an explanation for why my best friend voluntarily volunteered for the fucking Hunger Games of all things.”

Val chews at his lip because he knows he does owe Gale that much. 

After thinking it over for a moment, Val relents, “All I could think of in that moment...was the fact that Katniss, my little sister...my proud, jaded survivalist of a sister, was being chosen to compete in a last man standing death game with the one person besides her family who made her happy and can’t even bring himself to kill a flower by picking it.” 

Gale nods in understanding as Val continues to explain. 

“I promised a long time ago that I would do whatever it takes to protect her and Prim’s happiness. And if she went into that arena with Peeta...” Val sighs, “I don’t even want to think about what it could’ve done to her.”

Gale stares at him with indescribable emotions crossing his face. Val starts to fidget, worried when Gale continues not to speak with each passing second.

“You good there Gale?” Val asks, stepping closer to wave a hand in front of Gale’s face to try and snap him out of whatever daze he was in. 

“You self-sacrificing idiot,” Gale finally says, his tone somewhat breathless and full of emotion that Val doesn’t know how to describe.

Val is both annoyed and confused by the response. He bites out, “Can you stop calling me th-”

Only to get cut off when Gale grabs him by shoulders. He barely has a second to register what’s happening before he’s pulled in and his lips make contact with Gale’s.

It takes Val a second and then another before his mind finally registers the fact that he is currently kissing Gale Hawthorne, the boy he’s had a crush on ever since he first met him and the reason his sisters were about to stage an intervention if he continued to pine instead of getting off his ass to do something about said crush.

Apparently, the fact that he wasn’t reacting to the kiss had Gale pulling away and oh no, he isn’t having any of that. He’s waited over 5 years, pining over this stubborn idiot with a too good looking for his own good face and an awkward charm that was miles more genuine than the shallow one he used around the strangers he never bothered to get to know.

Val grabs Gale and pulls him back in. It takes a bit before Gale finally realizes Val wasn’t going to pull away. His arms move down to Val’s waist to pull him closer while Val holds Gale more tightly around his shoulders.

The two close their eyes and just enjoy the kiss. It’s not mind blowing like the women in Town talk about. It’s not like fireworks in the background and confetti falling all around them like the girls in school fantasize about. It’s not even the spark and fire that mother spoke of when Val had asked her about all that adult kissing and stuff back when he started noticing the physical appeal of people for the first time. It was nothing like the first kisses he had read about in books or heard about in stories.

It was messy. It was unrefined. There was nothing sensual or romantic about it. Teeth clashing and lips smacking as their tongues chased each other in a desperate dance. There were tears shed on both sides and the feeling of a hundred butterflies taking off within his stomach. It was passionate and full of every positive feeling of a love that Val never knew he needed in his life. He didn’t want to let go. He doesn’t want this to end.

After what seems like hours, the two break apart.

“I know that you’ll be able to find a way to bring the both of you back home because you’ve always been able to beat the odds,” Gale says softly, shushing him when Val tries to protest, “Oh hush, you know you have. That’s how you’re able to stand here today, making the stupid decision to be a self-sacrificing idiot.”

Val tears up again as Gale holds him close, placing his head on his shoulder.

“Once you’re in, make sure to always have your water sources locked down before you go searching for food. Bows would be good to. Your dad taught you guys how to make them right? Katniss said he did,” Gale continued, trying to get in actual helpful advice by flipping on his logical side.

Of course, Val’s mind is also racing, switching between reigning in an emotional roller and planning his next 10 moves, “But what if the arena’s not a good one? Or the cornucopia’s a bust? Remember that desert arena where all the tributes suffered form hyperthermia or died from dehydration? Or that time where all the cornucopia had were maces?”

Gale is highly amused by Val’s counterpoints, “Ha! Great minds really do think alike. Katniss brought up the same points.”

Val rolls his eyes as he leans away from him, “Come on Gale. Be serious here.”

“I am serious. You and Katniss are the smartest, most resourceful people I know. You’ve survived six months in the forest by yourself as a kid. And Katniss managed to bring down and gut a bear with just a stick of wood she decided to carve one day.”

“Okay. Now you’re laying it on a bit thick,” Val says with fond exasperation.

“You know you love it,” Gale smirks.

Val leans back in, placing his head back on his shoulder, “I guess I do.”

They hold each other for a few moments before Gale breaks the silence again, “Hey, you know you two will be okay, right?”

Val doesn’t respond. He doesn’t have too. They both know how unpredictable the games could be and how damaged the Victors come out of it. Just look that the track record of still living Victors – some you’d have never expected to survive like the morphlings from District 6 and some either played into their Victor status or had their minds broken by the trauma they’ve suffered.

“You’ll find a way. You always find a way,” Gale reassures, though whether he’s trying to reassure Val or himself is a bit unclear.

A knock sounds on the door before it opens, revealing the Peacekeeper as he steps through and gestures at Gale to leave.

“Time’s up. You’re the last visitor so get out now.”

Instead of immediately leaving like the Peacekeeper wants him to, Gale continues to hold Val close. 

“And even if you can’t,” Gale chokes out, tears falling again, “I know that you two will still fight like hell to make sure that the Capitol doesn’t win. That they will never change who you are because you are Valerian Everdeen, the hunter from 12 who loves his family and cares for those in need, but you are also Cato Evans, the boy from 2 who lived to fight another day. Don’t forget that.”

“I said, time’s up! Now get the hell out,” the Peacekeeper growls as he stomps into the room.

Val and Gale share another kiss that feels more like the final one they’ll ever share. The Peacekeeper grabs Gale by the arm and rips him away from each other’s embrace.

“Promise me, Val,” Gale shouts as he’s dragged out of the room.

“I will, I promise that they’ll never change me. That I’ll always fight till the end,” Val shouts back as tears stream down his face.

Gale nods, smiling through the tears as he’s dragged through the door. He manages to lift three fingers to his lips and salute them out to Val before the door slams shut with a loud bang.

Now Val stands alone in the room once more but this time with a heart that’s soaring from having experienced _what could be_ and then crumbling from realizing that it was now _what could have been_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And scene! Now we off to the Capitol and all of its glittering glory in the next chapter. I’m planning or at least thinking of planning to go more in depth on the Capitol and its mechanisms in this first story (cause I will be doing the other two books as well in the future) because I feel like it was glossed over and only focused on certain characters or only showed certain aspects like glimpses into how the residents of the Capitol lived. 
> 
> There’s never too much depth into why they are the way they are besides the fact that the President and the regime made it so. Like why in the world do Effie and other Capitol residents believe that they are doing a service to the Districts considering the reactions to them especially from the outer districts? What explanation was given so that they believed that the Districts are just ungrateful heathens who need to be taught a lesson? And it’s not just propaganda because propaganda can only go so far before someone starts questioning it and thus begins a chain reaction. I’m definitely going to go more in depth with this when I’m writing my version of Catching Fire but I think I’ll give some glimpses to my plans in the next few chapters. 
> 
> Also, can you tell that I know jack shit about writing kiss scenes and stuff? Hope it wasn’t too cringey or lacking cause honestly, while I’ve read a lot of them, I’ve never actually written any and I don’t really like watching kiss scenes on screen either. Or hearing them, oh god hearing them is just the worst. Ugh. Anyways, hope you guys are still enjoying the story and that you’ll continue to read on. Until then, see you next time!


	9. Follow the Steel Track Railroad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Val and Katniss are now on their way to the Capitol. During the journey, many revelations and convictions are made that will change the course of history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? First of all, I’m so sorry this chapter came out so late. I used up all my writing motivation with the double update and work prevented me from recovering it until now so...yeah. No more double updates unless you guys are good with super late chapters. Second, we’re on our way to the Capitol folks! Part one of my deep dive is a go. Third, I’m not gonna write long ass author’s notes anymore so you guys can just jump straight into the chapter so please enjoy this really stretched out train ride where I try to build the sibling relationship between Katniss and Cato while also trying to establish the Capitol through Effie and Haymitch and attempt to give them more character depth.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Val walks in a daze, no longer really registering what’s happening as a Peacekeeper directs him out of the room through a back door and down a walkway to a platform where a train hovers above the steel rails. It was a complete 180 from the wheeled box car train that brought him all the way from District 2 to District 12. Now he was going to be “traveling in style” from 12 straight to the Capitol, where the one who ordered his family to be killed lived.

Of course, none of that was really running through his head at the moment as he was still trying to recover from the elation and heartache that was Gale Hawthorne. He only broke out of his trance when a hand touched his shoulder.

Val blinked and suddenly his surroundings came into focus. He takes in the sight of the only train platform in the entire district. A sad little thing built from wood that was dark and slowly rotting from lack of proper care. It stood out in stark contrast to the train with its sleek silver walls that looked smooth to the touch. The train’s glass windows shine brightly in the sunlight, almost blinding him until he turns away to look towards the source of the hand still on his shoulder.

It’s Katniss with a look of worry and red-rimmed eyes that were the only evidence she had been crying again. It’s a strange look on her, completely out of place even though he had just seen her cry during the Reaping. It reminded Val much too heavily of the only other time she cried, when the news of their father’s death came after the mine collapse.

Katniss had fallen to her knees, crying out with a despair and desperation Val had never seen from her before. The tears never seemed to end even as he held her close and she fell asleep from the exhaustion. It was unnerving then and it’s still unnerving now.

“You okay?” she asks with heavy shoulders and no sign of the usual fire she seemed to always carry within her.

Val blinks again, processing her words, before nodding. “Yeah,” he finally responds, voice rough from the tears he had shed.

The hand on his shoulder moves to hold his hand and squeeze it, “We’ll talk later yeah? Just the two of us...when we can?”

Val squeezes his hand back in response. Katniss relaxes at the gesture. Suddenly, a hand shoves at his back, causing him to stumble forward. Val turns to see the Peacekeeper that had escorted him, impatiently gesturing for him to enter the train. He rolls his eyes as he turns back to the train. He bites back a retort when the Peacekeeper shoves him again. 

Val feels Katniss move to retaliate but he squeezes her hand again and shakes his head. No need to cause trouble now that they were leaving. No need to encourage any form of retaliation against their family. Katniss grits her teeth and squeezes his hand back in response. The two walk together, hand in hand, down the ramp and onto the train.

As they crossed the threshold, it was like walking into another world.

All the finery, the cleanliness, the _shine_ to it all.

It was a familiar yet unfamiliar sight to Val. His heart clenches from faint grief and his stomach rolls at the display of wealth in the poorest district of Panem.

The door closes behind them with a hiss, making their shoulders tense. A slight shift of movement alerts the two to the train’s departure but otherwise, they would’ve never known they were moving at all.

“Should we go in and sit down somewhere?” he asks after a few moments of awkward silence.

Katniss nods her agreement and they migrate further into the car towards a sitting area with elaborate leather couches bordered by dark wood cabinets decorated with fancy accessories and decorations that look rich enough to feed the entire Seam for months if not years. They sit hesitantly, uncomfortable by the displays of wealth that the Town could never hope to reach, on a leather couch. 

Trying to get comfortable, Katniss leans her head against Val’s shoulder while he leans his head against hers. Arms are wrapped around each other in an attempt to ground the other in the surreal situation they have yet to fully comprehend. A silence that is both tense and comforting settles around them.

Eventually, Val speaks up, “So...”

“So...” Katniss responds with a weighted pause before her actual response, “Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugs.

Katniss rolls her eyes and weakly slaps his arm, she has no energy for her usual violence right now. “Spill. Before I tear this place apart just so _something_ can happen.”

“Well you’re more violent than usual,” he says, smiling at her to which her response is another slap, this time harder and actually making his arm sting a little. He dramatically rubs the spot like she had punched him instead. “Alright. Alright. Geez... _women_.”

“ _Men_ ,” she shoots back.

Val immediately thinks of Gale, “Fair enough.”

“Come on, Val. Let’s talk. Before we have to play the roles of _grateful_ and _courageous_ tributes. Blegh,” Katniss said while sticking her tongue out in disgust.

Val laughs, “Ok, fine. I got the usual suspects, you know mom reassuring me that they’ll be fine and Prim coming in to tell me how stupid I was. I think she’s been spending too much time with you. She’s starting to grow quite the mouth on her.”

Katniss twitches slightly at the mention of their mother though her expression doesn’t darken nor does she make any biting comments. Instead, she smiles with unnecessary pride at Val’s words about Prim. He also notes her expression change but doesn’t comment. She’ll talk about it when she’s ready.

“Then I got Peeta and Mr. Mellark. Yeah, I was kinda surprised when I saw them too cause I thought Peeta would try to get as much time as he could with you before we got shoved off,” Val explained at Katniss’ surprised expression, “But hey, I got us some cookies out of it so its not like it’s an unwelcome surprise.” He shrugs, holding the bag of decorated cookies out to Katniss who snatches it and holds it gently. She smiles fondly at the cookies with Katniss flower decorations.

“Then Gale was my last visitor, storming in and yelling at me for being stubborn and stupid which is kind of hypocritical coming from him and then he…” Val blushes before quietly mumbling out, “ _He kissed me_...”

Katniss blinks. Then she blinks again, “I’m sorry. He did what?”

Val’s face could put a tomato to shame as he forces out in a louder, higher pitched voice, “He...kissed me...Twice.”

Katniss blinks a third time. “He...kissed you...twice...” she says slowly as if to comprehend each word by stringing them together. Then it all clicks and she squeals so long and high Val slaps his hands over his ears. He only drops his hands once she stops with the squealing and starts with the shit-eating smiling.

“Val! I’m so happy for you! You finally made it past the first step!” she shouts as she goes to hug him. For some reason, the hug isn’t as tight or backbreaking as her usual ones. It was gentle, almost as if she’s treating him like glass though he had no idea why when he’s currently no longer crying and instead is blushing hard enough to probably internally burn himself.

“How do you feel?” she asks.

He returns the hug, sighing as he puts his chin on her shoulder. “I feel like,” he pauses, trying to figure out how to word the way he’s actually feeling, “Like that time when we tried those Katniss rolls Peeta tried baking that one time. Yes it tasted great after the first bite but once we finished them, it left this bittersweet aftertaste.”

He pauses again before continuing to speak, “I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to be with Gale. I built this entire fantasy in my head where we’d work together in the same section of the mines, go hunting on our free days, and spend our nights just looking at the stars, never having to worry about the Games anymore and just being...together...” he sighs, “But now that I’ve gotten a taste of that, I almost wish he’d never kissed me so I can just continue wondering instead of mourning what could have been.”

Katniss doesn’t respond with a comforting comment or her usual snarky remarks. She’s picked up enough tact over the years to know when not too. But she does squeeze him a little tighter and instead starts talking as if he hadn’t just dropped the atmosphere to a depressing degree, “Well, let me tell you who came to visit me and I gotta say, it was both surprising and totally expected.”

Val smiles, grateful for the topic shift, “Oh? Tell me all about it.”

She leans her head back onto his shoulder, “So first Gale’s coming in hot and firing off a bunch of advice about hunting and making weapons and finding food, water, and shelter and all that.”

Val chuckles, “As he usually does.”

“Right? And then I start firing back with counter situational arguments and he just shakes his head and tells me to stop being such a smart ass. Then he kind of awkwardly hugged me and left,” Katniss snarks.

Val outright laughs at that, “So business as usual right?”

Katniss giggles, “Absolutely. Anyways, after him was Prim and...mom,” she manages to choke out without betraying too much emotion, “We talked a bit, nothing too special. I just...needed some closure on what she did...all those years ago. There’s no point in me leaving with bad blood between us...”

He nods, not wanting to push further as he too had tact that he spent years trying to teach Katniss. His lessons must’ve succeeded given her responses earlier, but she still had a mouth on her that he hoped she never used while they were at the Capitol. That hope was probably a pipe dream but still, _one could hope_...he hoped.

Katniss continues on despite his running internal monologue. “And while I’ll never forgive or forget what she did...I do trust her to not leave Prim high and dry by blanking out again…” then her tone changes to a lighter, more happier one, “Then Peeta came. His dad wasn’t with him. Probably because he wanted to give us both as much time alone together as we could get and we just held each other and talked. We talked about that future we dreamed about having but knew wasn’t possible as long as the Capitol exists,” she pauses, probably thinking about happier times.

Her expression turns wistful, almost melancholic, “And I thanked him for how happy he made me, how alive I felt whenever I was him especially after dad…” she cuts herself off, choking on unshed tears. She clears her throat and blinks the tears away before continuing, “I’m glad I was able to be with him. I’m grateful that you and Prim pushed me, literally and figuratively, to go talk to him that day because I became a different person, a better person, just for having the chance to be with him.”

“Hey, don’t talk like that,” Val protests.

“Talk like what?” Katniss asks.

“Like this is the last time you’ll ever be with him because it won’t be,” he says with a conviction that only has Katniss shaking her head at him.

“Ok. Sure,” she responds in a tone that clearly says she doesn’t believe him.

Val simply sighs and holds her tightly in comfort when he suddenly remembers something important. He puts his hand in the pocket of his slacks and pulls out his mother’s pin. Katniss shifts so she can get a better look.

“Is that your mom’s pin?” she asks.

Val nods, “Yeah. Prim gave it back to me. Said she wanted to give as much luck to us as she could possibly give.” He holds the pin up to her, “Here. I want you to have it.”

Katniss refuses, using her hands to close his own around the pin. “No. It’s your mother’s pin. You deserve to have that keepsake of her, of your original home...Besides,” she says as she lifts her left wrist up to reveal a braided leather bracelet with a small metal charm in the shape of an arrow, “I have my own token. Peeta gave it to me. Apparently he made everything, including the charm.”

“Oh really?” Val asks, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Katniss giggles a little, “Yeah. He had to bribe the blacksmith at the Hub with a week’s supply of baguettes to show him how to make the charm. Took him a million tries before he got it right. He’s always so stubborn about things like that. Always says I deserve the best of the best...”

She chokes a bit at the end, tears returning to her eyes as she desperately tries to hold them back. Val quickly jumps in to provide a distraction, “Hey. How about we start eating those cookies before they go bad? Could use some sugar right about now right?”

She nods and the two turn their attention to the cookies, the conversation dying off and neither sibling eager to pick it up. Admiring the designs and slowly nibbling on them to try and make them last as long as they can. Val pulls Katniss in for another comfort cuddle though his mind is far away as he stares out the window at the blurring landscape.

Meanwhile, Katniss watches him closely, cataloguing the slight redness of his eyes and unfocused gaze. As she shifts closer, he unconsciously holds her tighter. Familiar silence falls around them as Katniss decides to make a silent vow of her own. 

‘He’s always protecting us. Always making sure we’re happy and if we’re hurt, we’re never hurt for long or ever again. One way or another, no matter what. Even when it’s tearing him apart,’ she thinks as her heart grows heavy, ‘He deserves to be happy. And he got the chance to be and now he’s given up any hope for it, because of me.’ 

Resolve and regret grow in her heart, ‘I’m sorry, Val. But I didn’t tell you the full truth of what Peeta and I talked about. I told him I was going to do everything in my power to make sure you made it back home...and he fully supports me. Because at least we still had the chance to be together and we spent all our time knowing that one day it would come to an end. So let me be the one to protect you and your happiness this time.’

The comforting silence is soon interrupted by the sounds of a nearby door opening and the click-clack of heels following after.

“Oh there you two are!” the high pitched, falsetto voice of Effie rings out.

The siblings turn and look to see her standing there with her hands held up delicately and her left leg at a slight angle as if she were posing for an invisible photographer. 

“Come, come, come! It’s time for lunch!” she cries out as she impatiently ushers them off the couch, through the door she just entered from, and into a car set up as an elaborate dining room with a long, rich mahogany table covered by an embroidered silk table cloth and lavished with fresh and rich meals placed in polished silverware dishes. The smell of the food alone has their stomachs rumbling with hunger.

Katniss and Val walk to the table in a daze, just staring at the table that held enough food to feed District 12 for a week and it was all just for them. It felt like such a waste and yet was completely expected given the Capitol’s known habit for having an excess of everything the Districts wish they could have.

Effie rolls her eyes and tuts at them for standing around. She struts over and pushes them towards chairs that they cautiously pull back and sit in. While Val had some exposure to a measure of the finery being displayed, he could tell Katniss was thrown off by the display and one wrong word or action away from blowing a fuse.

Thankfully for everyone in the room, Effie distracts Katniss by placing a large bowl of what looks to be lamb stew with dried plums in front of her. Despite her initial hesitation, Katniss immediately digs in, scooping up large portions of the stew and grabbing a few biscuits to accompany the dish. 

Val breathes a silent sigh of relief at a crisis being averted and turns his attention to the food before him. The first thing that catches his eye is a large slab of cooked beef cut into slices with rich juices dripping from each piece and colorful, steamed vegetables cut into the shape of flower petals placed artfully around the meat.

Figuring “what the hell”, Val digs in, occasionally grabbing sliced fruit from the various small plates nearby and slipping some onto the plate of a grateful Katniss who had never eaten fresh fruit that wasn’t native to the forest of 12. The two also decide to split some rich, frosted vanilla cake, sweet pecan pie, and various fruit Danishes between them before washing it all down with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. Both display rather excellent table manners due to the Townie background of their mother and Val’s upbringing from 2.

Near the end of the meal, Effie hums in delight catching their attention.

She takes their focus as the permission it is not to speak her mind, “Oh! I am so glad to be your escort this year. Such clear devotion for your District and don’t even get me started on your gratitude for the Capitol. Your fellow citizens should know by now that being chosen is a great honor and volunteering just shows how much you value the chance to become one of us!” At this point her lip curls in slight disgust, “The previous tributes I escorted were never as polite or passionate or even...civilized as you two seem to be.”

Katniss and Val share a look as their minds flashback to the tributes from the last 5 years being all from the Seam with dirty appearances and were so malnourished you could count their ribs through thin, patched shirts. Those tributes with eyes that had no spark of life or fight left in them as soon as their names were chosen. They were all dead tributes walking and everyone knew it.

They two share a silent conversation as to how they should react as Effie continues to ramble on, “They were such ungrateful, pardon my language, _pigs_ who would never win a single Game and not a single one has been able to make it past the Bloodbath and join us since Mister...Abernathy. I’ve never seen such a tribute act so disgracefully by using the arena for his schemes instead of his natural or learned skills. That’s no way for a tribute to win and it just spits on our traditions though I’m not quite surprised considering he’s become a drunk, lazy slob. Perfectly befitting of a cheating Victor,” her barely disguised disgust then turns to excitement at the drop of a hat, “Oh! But there was this one tribute from the 10th Games, I don’t quite remember her name, but she was quite the entertainer. A star who only appears once in a lifetime and it's such a shame that I wasn’t able to ever see her in person. It’s just not the same watching her performances on the screen. I’ve been told she had such a larger than life presence.”

At this point, Katniss is clearly done with Effie’s incessant rambling. Val quickly shakes his head, making abort motions at her because he recognizes that expression. It’s her “I’m going to make you shut up by punching you in the face and if you still won’t shut up, I’m going to deck you again and hope it knocks you out” expression. Katniss rolls her eyes, silently calling him a party pooper before changing her tactics. 

She drops her silver cutlery onto the table with a loud clatter as it bounces off her plate and onto the wood that isn’t covered by the table cloth. It startles Effie who watches with growing horror as Katniss then proceeds to start shoveling some lamb stew into her mouth with her hands, picking up pieces of plum and lamb with her bare fingers and licking the stew off. Val snorts in amusement as Katniss chews with her mouth open, her eyes sparkling with delight.

Effie merely sniffs with disdain at Katniss’ actions. She turns so her attention is solely on Val and continues her one-sided conversation, “As I was saying, I’m most certainly excited to see what you two will offer this year. Never in the history of the Hunger Games has there ever been a pair of siblings competing against each other for the glory of victory. Well there were two Victors who were siblings and won one year after each other. It was always exciting to see the two together in the Capitol. Many of my friends would trip over themselves in order to pay the right price for their company. After all, two Victors as a package deal is certainly more enjoyable than just one.”

She giggles as her face flushes lightly at the fantasies that run through her head. Katniss fake gags, or maybe she’s actually gagging, at the sight. Val quickly swallows his mouthful of pomegranate juice before he can spit it all over the table.

Effie sighs as she leans her head onto her hand with a sad expression, “But alas, while their company as Victors will forever be appreciated and valued, their rivalry was never truly explored. It would have been so exciting! The tension, the emotions, the drama, oh all of the drama that comes from having to fight against your own sibling!”

Her sadness quickly turns into excitement, “And now there is the chance to explore all those possibilities and I was the one who chose you two!” she starts clapping with delight, “Oh! I can’t wait to tell all my friends and their friends and their friends at those gatherings only reserved for those of the highest prestige in the Capitol. And I especially can’t wait to speak of it with Tiffania. She was the District 12 escort before me and she never got a single volunteer or anything unique like siblings, only those dreadful, dirty creatures. Her face will turn such an ugly shade of blue and then she’ll have finally learned her lesson because everyone knows dying your skin blue was so last two seasons and shades of pink are what’s in now. And don’t even get me started on that violent orange dye she uses for her hair. It’s not an innovation as she likes to call it. It’s an absolute couture nightmare!”

At this point, Katniss and Val have both lost their appetite and are looking a little green around the gills. Whether that’s because they’re not used to the richness of the food provided or from Effie’s continued rants that lack basic human decency and were just tone deaf, Val feels like he really doesn’t want to know.

Thankfully, Effie runs out of steam as her ranting finally reaches a close, “I’m so excited to see which one of you will win and receive the opportunity to finally become one of us. You may not have faith in yourselves but I have a feeling that the two of you will at least make it to the final 4. During your Reaping, I could just tell there was a fire burning within you two and a desire to receive the high honor and prestige being a Victor allows. Oh! Sometimes I wish I, myself, could participate in the Games but alas,” she un-ironically raises a hand to her forehead dramatically, “The District citizens and Victors need a standard they can set themselves to and that is the heavy duty of me and my fellow Capitol citizens.”

Effie drops her hand and turns her full attention back to them, all rainbows and sunshine. She looks ready to start a new rant while Katniss and Val wish they were anywhere but here. Effie opens her mouth to speak again and it’s at this exact moment that Haymitch stumbles in, completely drunk off his ass of course. He somehow makes his way to a chair before collapsing onto it like a puppet getting its strings cut. Everyone watches him warily as he pulls out a flask to take another swig of alcohol.

“Ugh,” he groans out after swallowing what smells like bath tub whiskey from the Hub. He blearily blinks and stares at Katniss and Val, making them squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. “Just my luck,” he spits out, “Got another pair of hicks who won’t know their right hand from their left. Probably not even gonna make it past the bloodbath.”

He then perks up as an idea slowly occurs to him, “Or maybe you two can spare me the effort and just die before the buzzer even goes off. Triggering the mine is the fastest and most painless way to die ya know.”

Val is extremely offended by what Haymitch says and given the look Katniss is sporting, she’s ready to stab Haymitch with the knife she had previously discarded to annoy Effie. Val is greatly tempted to let her.

“Excuse me, Mr. Abernathy,” Val says with strained politeness, “But I think you’ve had too much to drink and should probably go sleep it off.”

Effie smiles brightly at his polite demeanor while Haymitch snorts, taking another swig of his flask, “Even worse. I gotta Townie with manners. Your mama still wipe your ass for you boy?”

Val sees red. He quickly swipes a glass of ice water from nearby and throws its contents in Haymitch’s face. Effie shrieks and jumps away so that no water landed on her. Haymitch sputters indignantly, standing up as he wipes the water out of his face. He then slams a hand on the table so he can lean to grab the glass out of Val’s hand only to stop short when Katniss stabs a knife in between the index and middle finger of the hand on the table.

“That table is mahogany!” Effie cries out in horror.

No one pays her any mind as Val and Katniss stare down a still drunk but surprisingly clear-eyed Haymitch. The two siblings are tense as his eyes dart between them with a focus no drunk man should have. The tension is broken when Haymitch abruptly laughs, dropping back down onto his seat. Katniss and Val share a wary look, neither of them letting go of the items in their respective hands.

“You guys got spunk, I’ll give you that,” Haymitch says as he takes another swig from his flask. He still smells of alcohol but it seems that he was not as drunk as everyone first thought, still retaining some degree of functionality as he continues to evaluate them. “You’ve both got some fight and a drive to survive that I’ve yet to see in any of my tributes.”

He nods towards the knife still in Katniss’ grasp, “You any good with that?”

Katniss rolls her eyes. She pulls the knife out of the table and throws it into a thin gap in the wall in one fluid motion. Haymitch nods appreciatively at her display while Effie wails in the background. He then turns his attention to Val, “What about you, boy? You got any skill or did your sister get all of it.”

Val shares a glance with Katniss. She tilts her head towards the knife in the wall towards a painting of fruit and mouths the word “grapes”. He looks at the painting, registering that the grapes she’s looking at are immediately to the left of Haymitch’s head. Val smirks and nods in response, making her smirk in turn. Val walks over to the knife and in the same fluid motion as Katniss, pulls it out of the wall and throws it. The knife flies right by Haymitch’s face, making him flinch back as it lands directly on one of the grapes. 

Effie cries out again, “That painting is a Leonel De Vinvaldi masterpiece!”

Everyone ignores her again as Haymitch laughs boisterously, slapping his hand over his knee.

“Alright. Alright. I give. You guys’ll have my attention,” he says amusedly before his expression turns serious, “But only if you can prove you deserve it.”

He sits back in his chair, taking more swigs as he speaks, “Now...I’m gonna have a little chat with the both of you, one on one, about why I should even bother to help you. No following and no eavesdropping if it ain’t your turn. Break those rules and I’m back to drinking myself silly while you two flail about in the arena. You both get one chance to convince me or I’m going to remove myself from the picture before we even get to the Capitol. Capeesh?” 

Katniss and Val both hesitantly nod at his demands, still thrown off by how sober Haymtich was acting even though he was still clearly drunk. He nods at their response. “Good. Now you,” he says as he points at Katniss, “Ms. Stabby Knife. Ladies first.”

Haymitch stands up and moves to the sitting area car. Katniss follows, glancing back nervously at Val who can only nod encouragingly as the door slides shut behind her.

Katniss lets out a shaky breath, turning her attention from the closed door to Haymitch. He’s lounging comfortably on the uncomfortable couch, legs crossed and arms resting on the unnecessarily large throw pillows behind him. 

For a few moments, the two simply stare at each other. Haymitch continues to take swigs from his flask while his expression clearly shows how he’d like to be anywhere but here. Katniss shifts with discomfort, unable to figure out what to say since she’s always been an action over words kind of person whereas her brother had somehow found the perfect balance between actions and words and Peeta was an artist when it came to speaking. The only thing she’s ever been able to talk her way through was convincing Peeta to give her an extra cheese bun and that’s only because they were together. 

Haymitch sighs and claps his hands onto his knees. “Well. If you’re just going to stand all day staring like a dead fish,” he stands up as his tone drips with sarcasm, “I think we’re done here. You’ve just lost your one chance, Ms. Stabby Knife. Let’s hope your brother can do better. Maybe he’ll actually be able to say a word or two!”

The mention of her brother is what snaps Katniss out of whatever stupor she’s in. She immediately moves to intercept him, arms crossed and jaw tense with defiance. 

“No.”

“Oh! Ms. Stabby Knife actually can speak! Clear to explain what you mean by no?” Haymitch asks, crossing his arms in turn. His posture signaling how he’s both confused and entirely done with this “conversation.”

Katniss teeth grind but she speaks, determined to get Haymitch to shut up and sit down, “Look. I don’t give a shit about the fact that you’re a drunken bastard. You can go die in a pile of bottles for all I care.”

“Really proving your case here, sweetheart,” Haymitch states, dropping back down onto the couch with a sigh.

“Oh shut the fuck up already,” Katniss throws out at him, “You’re a shitty drunken bastard but you’re still the shitty drunken bastard who’s job it is to keep my brother alive.”

That has Haymitch raising his eyebrow in surprise, “You’re brother? You’re not trying to get me to help you or anything?”

Katniss takes a deep breath in to get a reign on her temper, just like Val taught her, and lets it out. “Val is an idiot, plain and simple” she states to Haymitch’s amusement, “He’s always trying to appeal to the better side of everyone even if they don’t deserve it. Just like how he tried to get me to understand why you are the way you are even when I couldn’t care less. And I still don’t but I at least I know and that’s a hell of a lot better than the rest of 12.” 

Katniss’ expression turns fond, “He’s heart is ten times too big for him and since he seems to lack basic survival skills, his first reaction when the love of his sister’s life gets reaped is to volunteer and find a way to protect her happiness.” 

Haymitch hums in thought, “That kind of empathy sure don’t exist that often in District 12. Like a once in a blue moon kinda thing.”

Katniss nods in agreement as her expression turns determined, “Exactly. Val is special. He’s needed. I’m not. I’m just another jaded punk with a mouth from District 12, just with the benefit of having boobs. There’s nothing more for me in life besides surviving.”

“Then what about that boy? The one you said was the love of your life that your brother volunteered for,” Haymitch asks.

At that point, Katniss grows sad. Tears start to prick the corners of her eyes but she grits her teeth and swallows them back, “As much as I hate to say it, Peeta can survive without me. He also supports my decision to save Val even though I know he doesn’t want me to.”

“And your family?” Haymitch asks, expression unreadable to her.

“My family can and will survive as long as one of us comes home. It doesn’t matter who. But like I said...I’m expendable, another piece of grass in a field. Val is not...he’s the flower that blooms even in the harshest of conditions. He makes life better and worth living just by existing. He inspires people with his strength and empathy.”

Haymitch can only stare at her as she finishes her spiel. After a beat of silence, Haymitch speaks, “Alright. Get.”

“Huh?” Katniss asks, bewildered. 

Haymitch rolls his eyes and waves at her to leave, “Go. Skadaddle. Shoo. Leave.”

Katniss continues to stand there. Haymitch throws his hands in the air in exasperation, then points at the door. Finally getting the picture, Katniss quickly moves to exit as Haymitch shouts out to her, “And send your brother in after you!”

She quickly crosses the door threshold to be greeted with the sight of her worried brother, pacing back and forth. No Effie in sight. She must have left when she finally realized her brother had no interest in continuing their one-sided conversation.

“Hey,” she says, catching Val’s attention.

He stops pacing, looking up and seeing her. “Hey,” he says, “You good?”

Katniss sighs. “Yeah. We talked. I don’t know if it helped cause you know…,” she gestures absentmindedly as Val tilts his head in understanding, before she points at the door, “Anyways, it’s your turn.”

“Alright. I’ll see you after then.”

Katniss nods as Val walks to the train car door and enters. She can only hope that her less than ideal spiel actually worked to get Haymitch off his ass. Otherwise, she’ll have to improvise and no one likes it when she has to improvise. The less said about the Lake Root Incident, the better.

When Val walks in, he’s not sure what he’s expecting but it most certainly wasn’t the sight of Haymitch slamming his head into the wall repeatedly while cursing himself out.

“Why.” Slam.  
“Do.” Slam.  
“You.” Slam.  
“Fucking.” Slam.  
“Do.” Slam.  
“This.” Slam.  
“To.” Slam.  
“Yourself.” Slam.  
“Abernathy.” Slam.  
“Fuck.” Slam.

“Uh...” Val hesitantly interjects, “You good there? Sir?”

Haymitch stops trying to give himself a concussion, turning to face Val with clear skepticism. “You can drop the sir. I already get enough of that fake shit in the Capitol, I don’t need it while I’m on the way to it _again_ ,” he bites out while walking back to the couch, dropping down with a dull thud. He takes a swig from his flask and gestures at Val to either stand or sit in front of him.

Val frowns as he walks over. “I’m not trying to fake anything, _sir_. I’m just trying to be polite and show basic human decency even if your behavior constantly makes me question that decision.”

Haymitch barks out a laugh, “Ha! Your sister told me how much of a stiff you were and I didn’t believe it cause how the hell could a stiff survive in the Seam.”

Val crosses his arms, “Well clearly you were wrong.”

“Clearly I was,” Haymitch accepts with a tone of amusement as he crosses his legs and folds his hands over them, “Alright then. Talk.”

“About what? Sir?” Val asks hesitantly.

“Is stupidity or short of hearing just a hereditary trait or something? Talk. Speak. Convince me that you’re worth the time I’d be wasting if I tried to help you,” Haymitch commands with a scoff, “And knock it off with the sir. Makes _me_ sound like a stiff.”

Val’s frown drops deeper but complies nonetheless, “I’m trying to show you basic human decency, _sir_. And I want you to show the same in return because you’re the person who’s going to help protect my sister and make sure she’s the one who makes it out.”

Haymitch spits out the whiskey he just took a swig of in surprise. Some of it lands on Val who is clearly not amused as he wipes the alcohol and spit off his face. As Haymitch coughs out a lung, trying to reign in his shock and surprise, Val stomps over till he’s standing directly in front of him. Once Haymitch clears his throat out for the hundredth time, Val jabs a finger at his chest.

“Look _bub_ ,” Val spits out, “I don’t care if you drink yourself to an early grave but that will have to wait until after the Games are over because unfortunately for me, you’re the only one with enough influence and power to make sure my sister wins. Katniss is a jaded survivalist who has had no hope in her life and nothing worth living for besides our family until she found Peeta. That happiness is a once in a lifetime thing that will never happen again and I’ll be damned if she loses that chance just cause you decided to drink a bottle too many. I will do anything to make sure she lives, even if it means dumping all your alcohol down the drain so you’re at least sober enough to help her.”

“Oh? Then what about you? Don’t you have any happiness you wanna get back to? Why are you wasting your chance on someone who even if she’s a spitfire, has the charisma of a dead slug? Even the natural sex appeal of a woman isn’t going to get her anywhere,” Haymitch asks, genuinely curious.

Val sees red at Haymitch’s words, his overprotective brother instincts rearing its ugly head. He swipes the flask away and tosses it to the over side of the car. Haymitch stares wide eyed, gaze switching between a furious Val and the alcohol spilling out onto the expensive carpet. Val jabs a finger at Haymitch’s chest again, this time hard enough to bruise.

“That’s my sister you fucking perv,” Val hisses, “And I don’t matter. Katniss has found what I had only just gotten a taste of and I’m fine with continuing to live on with thoughts of what could have been. Because the only happiness that matters to me is the one my family gave me. They saved me. They took me in when they didn’t have to and gave me the chance to have a family again,” here his tone changes, gaining a hint of guilt and regret, “And when I started to spiral after the Mine Collapse, Katniss was the one who brought our family hope again. I owe the Everdeen’s a debt that I can only hope to repay by making sure Katniss is the one who goes back home.”

“Even if it means sacrificing yourself?” Haymitch asks, his expression carefully neutral.

Val gives a sharp nod, “I’ve been prepared to die ever since I was 10 years old. At least with this, my death will have meaning and can hopefully repay my debt.”

“A life for a life huh?” Haymitch says as his eyes search over Val. It’s like he’s trying to stare straight into his soul but the effect is somewhat ruined by his still alcohol glazed eyes. After a moment, Haymitch finally dismisses him with a wave.

“Alright you can go.”

“Really? That’s it?” Val asks, surprised.

Haymitch’s eye twitches with annoyance, “What? Did you expect me to start crying from your passionate speech of sacrifice and life debts? Maybe hold your hand and sit down on the floor to sing Kumbaya and we’ll suddenly be best friends for life and I’ll magically stop brooding and become sober for longer than a minute?”

Val shrugs sheepishly at that, “Maybe?”

“Get out of here!” Haymitch barks, jumping off the couch. Val’s instincts, honed by the many punches and kicks that came from an unpredictably irate Katniss no matter the time of year, fail him as he tries to keep speaking with Haymitch. 

“So does this mean you’ll stop brooding and drinking and help?” Val asks. 

Haymitch raises his fist in that familiar threatening manner of a Katniss who’s ready to knock his clock clean. Getting the idea, Val immediately books it to the entryway back to the dining car. As he’s retreating, Haymitch shouts out, “And let me brood and drink in peace dammit!”

As the door closes behind Val’s back, Haymitch drops back down onto the couch with a groan. He eyes the flask of whiskey that’s probably completely empty now if the large stain on the carpet is any indication. ‘What a waste,’ he thought as he rubs at his hair with a heavy sigh.

He leans back and sinks deep into the couch with an exhaustion and bone deep weariness that only came from being a Victor. All of them had it, this heavy weight on their shoulders from having survived when others had not, for trading their humanity for that survival. Many of them may not look like it, but in the end, they all felt sick and disgusted and broken when the gravity of what they and others had done to survive settled in. They either hid it better or used very unhealthy ways to cope. 

Quite a few played into their roles as Capitol playthings, especially the Career Victors who changed their appearances to fit their tribute narratives to the point where they lost all sense of who they once were or treated their high commodity status as the honor the Capitol paraded it to be in an attempt to fall into the same delusions so as to forget what it took to get there. Others simply retreated from society or put on new masks to lower their desirability to the Capitol citizens like he had, only coming out when it was absolutely necessary. 

Then there were the unfortunate few who lost their grasp on reality. They were the only physical reminders left of the horrific repercussions that came from winning. Though the Capitol tried their best to block those particular Victors from view so as to keep their precious narrative that being a Victor was the highest honor. Whether those attempts were successful or not, he doesn’t know cause he could never be bothered to speak with any Capitol citizen about anything beyond his next drink order. But no matter the coping method, one thing was true for all of them – they would never be able to wash the blood of their fellow tributes’ death off their hands. 

It’s thoughts like these that have Haymitch sobering up faster than any glass of ice water and knife between the fingers ever could. It makes his fingers itch to grab the bottle of whiskey sitting all tempting and pretty on a nearby table. But it’s the actions of his two new tributes that give him pause.

The Spitfire Twins he decided to dub them even though they do not look anything alike at all but their attitudes of taking no shit and goals of saving the other rather than themselves makes them more similar then they themselves believe.

Ouch. That thought hurt his head. And oh...there’s the hangover. How long has it been since he’s had one? 8 years? 13 years? Oh wait, 24 years. Two days after he won the games and in turn lost everything. After that killer hangover, he decided he never wanted to be sober again. Not with how the thoughts, the memories, the regrets, the _guilt_ suffocated him as if the Capitol itself was holding a pillow to smother his face.

Haymitch takes a shaky breath as he runs his hands over his face. Those two, Valerian and Katniss Everdeen...they had a spark. A spark that wasn’t there before in the other tributes Haymitch had “mentored.” They both had a fire that refuses to go out and will burn whoever tries to hurt the ones they love even at the detriment of their own well-being, until there is nothing left but smoldering ashes and fading embers. 

It was new. It was unique. It was familiar.

_It changed everything._

Making a decision to himself, Haymitch stands and walks over to the table that held the bottle of whiskey. He reaches out and grabs the pitcher of clear, ice water next to it. Then he grabs one of the glasses provided and pours himself some water. 

Taking a long sip, he sighs again. The water helps to soothe his hangover, the pounding in his head slowing down to a manageable level. He is slowly but surely on his way to becoming sober. He’s really doing this. Really going to break his vow to himself to never get involved with his tribute mentees ever again, not after losing them every year without fail despite everything he tried to prevent otherwise. 

He drains the rest of the glass then holds it with a thoughtful expression before moving to refill it. This was more water than he has ever consumed in the last 24 years he realized. But it will be worth it. It has to be worth it. Worth it to not feel a regret so strong it would possibly cripple him if he didn’t try this time. Because he owed it to her, owed so much to Maysilee. His fellow tribute who had that same fire in her eyes that never died even as she bled out and the same resourcefulness to survive when no one, not even himself, expected her too. If he didn’t try this time, she would never forgive him and would definitely rise from the grave just to haunt and lecture him for all of eternity and he couldn’t have that. 

Continuing his train of thought, he was surprised to find that he genuinely didn’t want the Everdeen siblings to die. It would be so senseless. The world, more specifically District 12, would become even more depressing than it was before. During his rather short conversation with Val, Haymitch didn’t bother to bring up the fact that he recognized him. The boy from the Seam who showed every citizen of 12 basic human decency and seemed to brighten up almost everyone’s (cause the baker’s wife was a demon in disguise and no one will tell him otherwise) day just by saying hello. 

Despite the constant alcohol fueled haze he was under, Haymitch was still aware enough to know that Val always stopped by his door, every day without fail at nine in the morning just to say hello and make sure he was still alive and functioning. Even though Haymitch could never be bothered to actually get up and go to the door, he always made the effort to at least move around or make a noise just to satisfy the boy and make him go away. And he’ll never tell anyone, not Effie, not Katniss, and certainly not Val, that he was touched by the boy’s gesture of empathy. Everyone in 12 had already written him off as a lost cause, a drunk who was going to die alone and surrounded by a mountain of bottles. With Val’s daily routine, Haymitch could almost entertain the thought that maybe, even if he died, someone will still mourn for him. 

Though he is genuinely curious about what Val meant by the Everdeen family saving him. Wasn’t he born into that family? He looks similar enough to their stick of a mother and that adorable sunshine child. Bah! Whatever. Everyone’s entitled to their own secrets. It’s not his business to go prying.

He drains the water in the glass again. Yes, he will do everything he can to help his tributes because everything is different. Everything is changing. 

So he’ll try...one last time.

He slams the glass onto the table with a loud, resounding sound that seems to ring with a sense of finality throughout the room. Then he’s left in silence with his running thoughts and a pounding headache. With a sigh, he goes to refill the glass with water again.

Meanwhile, Val speed walks through the train cars until he finally comes upon the sleeping car. Quickly scanning the doors, which thankfully were labeled with nameplates, Val swiftly entered the one with his name on it. He examines the room as the door closes with a click. It’s a simple room, too clean and fancy just like everything else on this train but with a strict tone with how perfectly placed all the furniture and decorations were.

Suddenly feeling exhausted, he walks over to the bed with its clean grey sheets all straight from starch and tucked in at perfect 90-degree angles and sits at the end facing the window. He watches the scenery pass by, a blur of green, brown, and grey against a backdrop of light blue.

Before he has a chance for the gravity of his actions and the situation he finds himself in to sink in, the door opens and closes behind him. He doesn’t even have to turn around and look to know who’s there as Katniss starts off on a rant fueled by all the feelings she bottled up ever since they left 12.

“I always knew that people from the Capitol were stupid but I couldn’t believe how fucking tone deaf they were as well like, really Effie? Does it ever look like the Capitol ever does shit for 12 even though we’ve got a Victor who’s trying to drink himself into as early a grave as possible and is certainly physical proof of how much winning the Games is not an honor,” she spits out with a venom so poisonous it’s only reserved for anything relating to the Capitol.

“Language,” Val says absentmindedly, though he does agree with everything she’s saying.

Katniss continues on as if she didn’t hear him, pacing back and forth while gesturing wildly, “And we’re better off not relying on Haymitch to help us out. He’s clearly going to be drunk off his ass the entire time and not going to help or pull through when we need it. We’re better off helping ourselves like we always have.”

At this, she stops pacing and sighs, “I’m really glad Peeta isn’t here,” her voice turns fond in tone, “He’s such a bleeding heart. He wouldn’t last a minute in the Capitol even though he’s such a charming smooth talker.”

“And that’s why you love him,” Val states as he pats the bed.

“And that’s why I love him,” she agrees as she walks over to sit in the spot he just patted.

The two unconsciously lean against each other, Katniss with her head on his shoulder and Val’s head leaning against hers.

“I never realized how vain the Capitol was until Effie opened her mouth,” Katniss says, voice surprisingly calm as she closes her eyes to soak in the warmth and comfort that is her brother, “Their problems all center around their wealth, social status, and physical appearances. In 12, everyone’s struggling to get a full day’s meal and finding work that won’t shorten their life spans or isn’t life threatening.”

“It’s survival of the fittest in the most depressing which makes the Capitol’s problems seem so basic and stupid,” Val sums up. Katniss nods into his shoulder, confirming what Val already knows and Katniss is only just learning to accept.

“You know...the Capitol is still very different from the Career Districts, like 2,” Val throws out. 

This makes Katniss open her eyes that shine with interest. “You mind telling me more about 2? That is if you’re willing to. No pressure or anything,” she suggests with a light tone that still betrays her curiosity. Which is fair considering how tight-lipped Val usually is about his life before 12. Val shrugs, figuring he might as well considering now is as good a time as any to stir up past memories that have long been buried.

“While 2 doesn’t have the same struggles of survival as 12 when it comes to stable living and a consistent source of food, it does have this hierarchy of strength,” he says.

“Like brawn over brain,” Katniss states.

“Yup. Physical strength is everything in 12. If you were strong, it meant you were able to hold your own in a fight and if anyone tried to mess with you, they’d either end up in the hospital or six feet underground.”

“Well that isn’t morbid at all...”

Val laughs at that before continuing on, “If you weren’t strong, obviously you were at the bottom of the food chain. And god forbid if you had enough brains to outwit those who were physically stronger than you. You’d be considered an instant outcast. Entirely removed from the food chain because you admitted you had to rely on something other than strength to stand above people.”

“And where did you and your family fall in this hierarchy?” Katniss asks, hungry for more knowledge about her brother’s past life.

He hums before responding, voice tinged with nostalgic pride, “My dad was well respected like near the top of the food chain respected. Part of it was because he was a Victor but most of it came from how he won his games through brute strength by killing half of the tributes by himself with just his bare hands.”

Katniss whistles at that, morbidly impressed.

“My mom though...she was an outcast. She was an artist and her specialty was in metalwork, which was considered a predominantly male job and the forge was no place for a woman. Though that didn’t stop the people who spat on her from spending money to buy her works. She was really talented,” Val says fondly. 

“What’d she make?” 

“She loved making all these different kinds of jewelry, like my pin.”

“Whoa. She made your pin? That’s really impressive,” Katniss says, eyeing the pin Val had taken out in awe.

“She actually made it for a marriage anniversary which also happened to be the 3rd anniversary of when my dad won the games,” Val explains, “She wanted to celebrate the fact that my dad was still alive but more importantly, appreciate the fact that despite the brutal way he won, he still managed to retain his humanity and empathy.”

“Which was what led him to being a rebel,” Katniss realized.

“Mmhm. And the fact that he’s so strong and respected protected him for a long time. At least until my mom died and I turned old enough to be sent to the academy,” Val said as he eyes his pin sadly before quietly whispering, “I really miss them...”

Katniss wraps her arms around to hug him and he uses the hand not holding the pin to hold onto her arm The two let silence fall around them, trying to hold onto each other as long as they can because once they got to the Capitol, who knew when they could get the time to be alone like this again with no expectations or polite masks or their very lives required.

“Can you tell me more?” she asks.

Val hums questioningly.

“About your family. I’d like to hear more about your life before,” she clarifies.

Val hesitates for a moment because he’s already told Katniss more about his past then he has before to anyone else. He wants to hold onto the memories of before the Incident for as long as he can and even die with them forever buried in his heart. But he knows, deep down he knows, he wants to keep the memory of his life and family in 2 alive through Katniss after he ensures she makes it through and he doesn’t.

“Alright,” Val agrees.

Then he speaks. 

He speaks for a long time. 

About the childhood he had growing up where his dad taught him survivalist skills in their backyard with many fires and unexplained explosions happening much to his mom’s frequent displeasure. About how to fight in self-defense, which he later passed onto Katniss and Prim in their free time, because his dad wanted to make sure he could take care of any bullies who tried to start something just cause he was a Victor’s son. How his mom would put the fear of her wrath in him and his dad on a daily basis with the use of her metal frying pan that he was always scared would one day actually knock the brains out of his dad given the amount of times she whacked him with it. How whenever she had the time, his mom would take him under her wing and teach him how to properly weld metal together to form misshapen metal pieces that she always tried to claim were works of art even though he wasn’t stupid enough to believe her anymore cause she was his mom and she’s supposed to be nice about things she shouldn’t have to be nice about but he appreciated the gesture anyways.

He speaks until he finally has nothing more to speak about. By that point, the two siblings are lying back on the bed, cuddling each for warmth and familiarity. When Val closes his eyes, he can almost imagine that he’s not on a train to the Capitol and is instead back in the bedroom of their house in 12.

Unfortunately, the moment is ruined when the door opens and is followed by the sound of high heels clicking across the floor.

“Oh! There you two are!” Effie’s voice, somehow growing higher in pitch, screeches out, forcing Val’s eyes open. He bites back a groan though Katniss doesn’t have the same restraint as him and she actually does groan out loud.

Effie ignores their reactions and starts ushering off the bed, “Up, up, up!”

The two sit up and stretch their limbs and backs out. “What’s the rush?” Katniss grumbles out.

Effie smiles widely and excitedly answers, “We’ve almost arrived! Just a few more moments and we’ll be there!”

Val’s brain is having a hard time catching up so he asks, “Where?”

Effie actually honest to God pouts at that. “Why to the Capitol of course, dear,” she responds with another wide smile, this time with all her pearly white teeth showing in a grotesque display of excitement that seems to stretch her face.

Katniss and Val look at each other with similar expressions of disdain.

“Well shit,” Katniss says.

Val agrees. Shit indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of part one of three! I hope you guys can accept this longer chapter as my apology for being so late with updating. Gonna be honest here, it was also kinda hard to write this cause I was trying to figure out the direction I wanted to take with my world building without getting too repetitive or too character talkie and not enough description/exposition showy. Don’t know if I succeeded but I hope you all still enjoyed reading this chapter regardless.
> 
> Anywho, prepare yourselves for part two because that’s when we’re at the Capitol and get to give the stylist teams more depth, personality, and plot relevance! I’m also planning to divide the chapter into different POV’s like I did here cause I like the idea of giving characters more development then what they were given originally. Hope the swapping perspective wasn’t too confusing for y’all cause I don’t like unintentionally doing that. Also, I would appreciate comments just so I can get confirmation that people actually enjoy reading this story though the favorites and kudos are good enough too. Thank you!


	10. To the Platinum City of Glitter and Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Val and Katniss have now arrived at the Capitol where they meet their rather...unique...stylist teams and have surprisingly deep one on one conversations with their individual stylists that reveal there is more unrest in the Capitol than first thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? I apologize for this chapter coming out a bit late. Last week was a wild emotional ride with both personal and outside events making my stress levels go through the roof so writing wasn’t exactly on the forefront of my mind for a while. But here’s the next chapter where we’re now at the Capitol folks! Part two of my deep dive shall commence! I’m so excited to give background and side characters more depth, agency, and plot relevance! Also, I headcanon Cinna and Portia as tag teaming siblings who willing chose to style District 12. Anyone else with me on this?
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Val and Katniss don’t have long to stand around, trying to wrap their minds around their arrival to the Capitol and hoping to somehow prevent or at least prolong the inevitable. Effie’s already impatiently ushering the two of them out of Val’s assigned room and back into the sitting room car where they had entered the train.

It finally hits them as they look out the window and see the blurring scenery slowly become sharper, giving form to shapes that were previously colorful streaks. Slowly but surely the scenery changes from the browns and greens of the passing forest to the silver and grey of the Capitol. Then the silver and grey become massive skyscrapers and metallic structures as the train slows upon its arrival to the Capitol’s main terminal.

Sooner than they would like, the train pulls to a stop with a small jolt similar to its departure. Effie claps excitedly as she bustles around the train car, smoothing down her completely wrinkle free dress and puffing up her hair using a silver tray as a mirror.

Val walks to the window with Katniss trailing hesitantly behind him. Both can only blink in shock at the large amount of people gathered around the platform. The number of people was easily double, no, triple the number of people who had gathered in District 12’s plaza earlier in the day.

Val leans his face closer in order to fully take in the view. It was like looking out into a sea of color or more accurately, a large field of wildflowers of all shapes and colors. All seven colors of the rainbow and possibly 30 different shades of each that Val could never hope to name or even remember were represented by the Capitol citizens. Many were holding signs bearing either one or both of their names on them with glitter and jewels as decoration. 

The large sea of people were cheering and chanting their names so loudly, Val could hear them clearly through the glass window. He hesitantly holds up a hand and gives a little smile and wave, flushing slightly since it’s highly possible that no one can see clearly through the window.

His assumptions are proven incorrectly when the cheers of the citizens seem to grow even louder, the names Valerian and Katniss being roared out as loud as humanly possible.

“Seriously?”

Val turns back to look at Katniss who’s crossed her arms and frowned at his little display.

“What?” he asks, confused at her anger.

She rolls her eyes and points at the crowd as her frown grows deeper, “You’re really gonna start showing empathy to _them_?”

“Doesn’t hurt to get a head start and it could be useful later on,” he says as he shrugs, “You never know who might be willing to shell out the money and be a sponsor.”

Katniss moves to retort but is stopped by the sound of the door to the dining cart opening and closing.

“He’s right you know. Never know when and where it’ll be useful to play the crowd a bit so might as well take every opportunity to do it.”

Everyone turns to face Haymitch, who’s looking much cleaner and less drunk what with his actually neat clothing and the often present smell of alcohol no longer present. Val, Katniss, and Effie all have looks with varying degrees of shock on their faces.

“Holy shit. Did you actually say something useful?” Katniss says, trying to pull her usual snark but she’s much too shocked to pull it properly.

Haymitch scoffs and makes his way over to the siblings, stumbling slightly but noticeably. Huh. Guess he wasn’t as sober as Val first thought, but he’ll take whatever he can get.

“Oh can it sweetheart. You of all people need all the help you can get so once you walk outta this train, you’re gonna smile like your life depends on it. Cause it does,” Haymitch says with smirk as Katniss fumes at his words.

Val quickly places a hand on her shoulder both to calm her anger and hold her back if she tries to punch the smirk off Haymitch’s face. Katniss angrily shrugs his hand off her shoulder and crosses her arm with pout, which has Val smirking at her too.

She glares before she punches him so hard in the arm he actually yelps from the pain. He holds his arm with a look of betrayal. Katniss rolls her eyes, silently but clearly calling him a big baby for thinking that small punch actually hurt while he glared back and silently called her a brute. She snickers in response, which makes him grin in return and wow. Moments like these always make Val miss the good ol’ days back in 2 when it was just him, his parents, and his best friend against the world. And now that train of thought made him slightly fearful. He hoped that there was actually a higher power up there just so divine intervention will make it so Clove did not successfully volunteer this year and will thus prevent Katniss from ever meeting her cause holy shit. Those two would actually set the world on fire _on purpose_ and gleefully laugh while doing so.

Val’s attention is drawn back to reality when the main door opens with a loud hiss. Effie excitedly walks out first with a large smile. She’s surprisingly quick in those 8-inch heels of hers. When she steps out, she pokes her head back through the doorway to wave at them to “Come out already, please and thank you dears.” 

Haymitch slaps them both on the back as he walks by them. “Don’t forget. Smile and wave. Even if you wanna kill ‘em. Smile and wave,” he advises before exiting the train behind Effie.

Val moves to follow but stops when he realizes Katniss isn’t moving. He tilts his head, silently asking if she was good. 

Katniss takes a few breaths in and out to help center herself. She hated change after all. Any change that was forced on her or she didn’t instigate herself she hated with a burning passion. Other peoples’ attempts to force her to change even more so. Growing up she always preferred to confront any change that wasn’t of her own volition with fists a-flying or words as sharp and precise as her arrows.

However, she already vowed that she would do anything for her brother because he’s always vowed to do the same for her. If she has to civil instead of strangling and pretend to enjoy the attention of strangers who know nothing...so be it. Katniss swallows her anger down as her hands clench with determination. 

She walks forward with her head held high and the two siblings walk side by side as they exit the train. They blink a bit, as their eyes adjust to being outside in the sun again. Val sees Effie already down the platform waving at them to hurry along again. The crowd is even louder than Val imagined. And with how they were all crowding together just to see or get close to him and his sister has him feeling both ill and dumbfounded.

Katniss quickly grabs his hand, losing a bit of her in this strange new environment as the cheers for them grow even louder at the display of camaraderie. They then make their way down to the platform and over to Effie, occasionally waving at the crowd with strained smiles that clearly show how they’d both rather be anywhere but here though it only throws the crowd into even more of an excitable tizzy.

Finally, after a walk that felt like an eternity but was actually only a couple minutes, the District 12 entourage enters the building Effie led them to where two small groups of people wait for them. Just like the large crowd of citizens they just passed, these groups, presumably the stylist teams, are dressed in outrageous styles with different types of fabrics sewn together every which way and paired with hair colors that make Val’s eyes water from staring for too long.

“Alright you two. You’ll be jumping straight into your styling sessions cause we spent most of the time usually used for sight-seeing, traveling all the way here,” Haymitch explains with a serious expression on his face, “You’ve managed to convince me to put the bottle down for now. So don’t make me regret it.” 

Val and Katniss nod hesitantly. 

“Alright. Then here’s your next piece of advice. Whatever the stylists do, _you let them_. No matter what they do, no matter how much you wanna object, you _don’t_. Got it?”

The two nod, more vigorously this time. Haymitch then stabs a finger in Katniss’ direction. “And I swear, if I hear that you attacked or stabbed someone instead of restraining yourself like a good little tribute, the deal is off. For both of you,” he warns, tone taking a hard edge. He’s already decided to go all-in so the two better not screw it up or else he’s back to the bottle before they’ve even stepped foot on their parade chariot.

Val gazes at Katniss with narrowed eyes that weren’t quite glaring, “Yeah Katniss. Don’t do _anything stupid_.”

Katniss in return responds with a glare that calls him a hypocrite, “Excuse me? I’m not the one who was stupid enough to volunteer for a death game so you’ve got no place to stand.”

Haymitch snorts, “She’s got you there. Maybe I should extend my warning to you too. I trust you won’t do anything involving violence but your capacity for making sound decisions is highly questionable.”

Katniss giggles when Val pouts in response. Haymitch snorts again and waves them off in the direction of the stylists teams. “Alright. Alright. Now go. Get. And have fun,” Haymitch says in an almost sing-song way while his smile grows wider like the Cheshire Cat.

Now Val is really nervous about what’s going to happen especially given how Haymitch’s unnerving smile makes it seem like he knows something that neither of the siblings do and it is definitely putting the both of them on edge. But he’s already vowed that he’d do anything for Katniss so what harm could a little styling do? 

Apparently a lot.

Val grits his teeth, swallowing back another yell as strips of waxed paper are unceremoniously ripped off his upper thighs.

He hears hums of appreciation at the results as his eyes water slightly from both the sting of pain and bright neon colors on all three assistants of his stylist team. 

Assistant number one is Pixma, an androgynous person with neon pink hair styled in a tasteful pixie cut, neon pink make up caked all over their face, and neon pink fabric wrapped all around them like an abstract fabric present. Val had no idea if they were a man or a woman until they corrected him saying they were non-binary, which meant not exclusively male or female. It was a concept that had Val’s head spinning since none of the districts had anything like this but if Pixma was happy the way they were, he’d continue to treat them like any other human being, even if he really didn’t understand. They’re currently brushing more wax onto paper to be placed on his reddening limbs.

Assistant number two is Lazerus, a man with a bulky build that’s surprisingly all muscle and scarily no fat. His yellow blonde hair stands out in stark contrast against his dark skin that is mostly covered by a neon yellow unitard that fits tightly around his muscles with each movement stretching the fabric and threatening to tear apart. He’s currently examining Val’s facial features with surprisingly gentle movements despite the fact that his hands look like they could crush his head with a single clench.

Assistant number three is Kanon, a thin slip of a woman with neon cyan streaks dyed onto her long and luxurious smooth coal black hair. She wears some rather conservative style jewelry Val recognizes from the ones his mom used to make though these pieces are neon cyan instead of the more subdued silver and bronze. Her neon cyan dress, though blinding, is artful in the way it wraps around her body to showcase her assets in a way that doesn’t restrict her movements as evidenced by how she flits around the various stations set up to grab small bits of this and that that she uses on his skin.

“Oh! I’m so jealous of you!” Pixma laments as they place another piece of waxed paper on his legs, “Your skin is so soft even though you come from such a rough district.”

Kanon hums in thought, “It might be because 12 is the mining district and mining also means charcoal.”

“Your right Kanon,” Pixma gasps out at the revelation while ripping off the paper that has Val biting his lip to stop the shout trying to come out, “And charcoal is such a good ingredient in those face masks Lazerus loves to make.”

“Yup. It always gets those impurities out. Which is a good thing since even with charcoal being a natural substance in 12, it’s still full of who knows what that could be clogging up his pores,” Kanon says as she grabs something small and metallic off a station.

“Is that what you’re going to do with my face later?” Val squeaks out through the pain, still trying to be polite and make conversation even though he’d really rather already be in the arena then sit through another round of waxing.

Lazerus grunts in response, finally letting go of Val’s face to walk to a station where he begins to mix a bunch of what looks to be herbs and pastes together in a glass bowl. Kanon takes his place and starts attacking his face with a pair of tweezers, pulling out small hairs that definitely test Val’s will when it comes to holding back the tears of pain.

“Is this really necessary?” Val asks, blinking back another round of tears as Kanon pulls at his eyebrows.

“Of course it is dear!” Pixma exclaims as they place the last round of wax strips on his legs, “Even though you have such light colored body hair, it’s still a big no-no when it comes to presentation.”

“Unless you’re trying to do something like that weird bear phase many of the higher elite tried to get trending last year,” Kanon says with a scoff.

Pixma shares a grin with her, “I know right? It was rather horrid seeing all those snobby elites trying to parade overgrown body hair as the next big thing and they even went so far as to dye it in these terrible clashing colors. Honestly! The nerve.”

“You said it,” Kanon agrees with a sharp nod.

“W-well,” Val’s voice cracks as Kanon and Pixma continue their pulling and stripping torture. He clears his throat and tries again. “Well I’m glad that I have such style conscious people on my team then. I’ve never had a need to take care of how I look before, so I’m happy that you guys are helping me take that first step. Thank you,” he says as sincerely as he possibly can.

It must work because all three assistants stop what they are doing, look to each other with thoughtful gazes before smiling in unison.

“Oh! You’re so polite and sweet dear. You’re nothing like the previous tributes we’ve had,” Pixma gushes out as they finally, finally, put away the wax and paper. They take a large bowl with a grey mud like substance inside from Lazerus.

Kanon nods in agreement, “Yeah. All the responses we’ve ever gotten for our efforts were tears and shouts. Totally ungrateful. Especially the tributes from the Career Districts. They were always so rude to us. Tossing out curses and shouting threats of violence at us. One of them even broke Lazerus’ favorite bowl just because they didn’t want to be covered in his special seaweed detox body mask.”

Val glances at Lazerus who nods tearfully in response while holding up a shard that must be from the aforementioned bowl.

“Completely unbecoming of a tribute,” he grunts out as he places the shard back and picks up two bowls, handing one off to Kanon who’s finished attacking Val’s face and admires her handiwork.

The three assistants then start slathering Val’s mostly naked body, since the assistants could tell how uncomfortable he was with fully revealing himself so they offered a cloth to cover his dignity, which he accepted with much gratitude, with the muddy mixture from the bowls.

It was a great relief considering how his body felt like it was on fire after all the tweezer pulling and wax stripping. However…

“Holy shit! That is really fucking cold!” Katniss shouts out as her assistants lather her body with strong herbal smelling oils and lotions.

All three assistants tut in response.

“You were doing so well sweetie. Try not to swear so much, yeah?” Epsona says, clicking her tongue as Katniss cringes away.

“It totally doesn’t suit your sweetheart image my dear,” Kodak coos while holding her legs down so Kyocera can continue to lather her body with oils and lotions.

Katniss lifts her head enough to glare at the assistant with as much heat as she can before remembering Haymitch’s advice. She dials the intensity back to zero and drops her head down onto the table with a sigh. The assistants hum in appreciation and continue their work much to Katniss’ growing frustrations.

She’s already made it past the waxing without a single tear or sound, especially when the wax was placed in really sensitive and uncomfortable areas. She grit her teeth through the picking and pulling of tweezers looking to get any strays hairs that escaped the grasp of 10 rounds of wax. She lay there on the table, bare as the day she was born, with as much dignity as she could muster and completely thankful for the fact that they were in a solitary room and not a public one though the window above her to the right is very sketchy. She even sat through their non-stop chattering and a shit ton of comments about how brave she was for enduring the very important procedures without a sound and what a strong woman she was for refusing to shed a tear. It made her want to hurl from the disgust curling in her gut at their fake, shallow comments and punch someone, preferably all three, in the face.

But alas, she can’t because she made a deal and no Everdeen broke a deal unless the other side broke it first.

So she sucked it up and decided to settle for watching the assistants flit about and continue their incessant chattering while secretly plotting their murders in her head. She’s also silently judging them for their clearly skewed fashion sense.

Epsona’s all sharp edges and not just in the figurative sense but the literal as well. Katniss has already been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue when the more painful treatments were implemented. Her bright red hair is gelled into the shapes of multiple triangles and her red, orange, and yellow clothes are made from what looks to be sheets of metal cut into triangles and then welded into the sharpest and most convoluted looking dress ever. Katniss wonders if Val’s mother ever made something like this and then immediately dismisses the thought. Given his stories, his mom certainly had more dignity and sense than all the Capitol citizens combined. She’s currently massaging some sort of oil that smells strongly of lavender on her feet, which was actually rather relaxing to be honest.

Kodak is a man who’s clearly in touch (maybe a bit too much in Katniss’ opinion) with his feminine side what with the yellow makeup, yellow nail polish, and yellow streaks in his long, brown hair. He’s dressed in an outfit made of a variety of circles colored with various shades of yellow that come together like those bizarre abstract paintings Liana used to experiment with until every resident in the Hub finally told her to cut that shit out. The circles trail all the down his long, lanky body from his collarbones to his knees in a circular fashion. His skin is also the smoothest Katniss has ever seen and felt whenever it would accidentally brush against her while he was attacking her face. He’s rubbing lotion over her arms that feel super oily and super cold.

Kyocera is a square. That is the only description Katniss can think of as she watches him pass lotions and oils back and forth to Epsona and Kodak before taking a hot towel and wiping off what was rubbed on. He has a square jaw, square set shoulders, a rectangle like body structure with arms and legs that are literally straight lines with bones and muscle. It also doesn’t help that he’s wearing a shirt that’s a perfect blue square that reveals his 6-pack abs with each individual ab also being a perfect square. His pants are also made up of squares that are also various shades of blue and his hair is in a square shape that is thankfully not neon blue but a light blue like the color of the sky. 

The entire process of lather, sit, wipe, repeat with each lotion and oil used growing stronger and stronger in smell continues until it feels like her nose is so jammed that she can’t smell anymore. Katniss closes her eyes and hopes that the whole thing will come to a merciful end soon because she doesn’t know how much longer she can uphold her end of the deal before someone gets stabbed.

Val blinks multiple times as his eyes adjust to the light again after having worn heavy duty glasses when his team used some sort of special light to help “kill bacteria, stop hair from growing back so quickly, and keep that smooth skin baby soft.”

He sits up when Lazerus hands him a black silk robe that he quickly puts on to fight off the chill of the room even though the special light warmed him up a little.

“Thank you guys. I really appreciate all the hard work you’ve done,” Val says sincerely since it really did seem like hard work as he laid around for the entire process.

The three assistants are obviously very flattered by his words. Pixma and Kanon giggle to each other while Lazerus gives him a small smile.

“Oh! Think nothing of it dear. Just be sure to wash your face with herbal soap daily or whenever you can so the toxins have less chance of building up and blocking your pores. And do be sure not to scrub yourself too harshly whenever you bathe so as to not make your skin red and irritated from too many protective layers being removed,” Pixma advised.

“Don’t forget to use lotion or herbal oil that is not too oily in feel. Keeps skin hydrated and looking healthy,” Lazerus adds in.

“Oh! Oh!” Pixma claps out as if just remembering something, “And be sure to smile widely but not too widely whenever you’re in the public eye and always, always walk with confidence because confidence is key and can help potential sponsors notice you especially since you’re from 12 and confidence has never really been a big thing with tributes from there.”

Kanon hums in thought, “Well maybe not since the tribute from the 10th Game. What was her name again?”

“Lucy Gray Baird,” Lazarus grunts out.

“Right! If you can portray yourself as confident and add in some charisma with a large helping of passion and empathy, maybe even smirk once in a while, then you’ll have sponsors eating out of the palm of your hand,” Kanon advises.

Val is both confused and flattered by the advice the stylists suddenly tossed his way. “You don’t have to do that you know. Be so helpful, I mean. I’m no different than any of the other tributes here.”

Kanon gives an un-Capitol citizen like snort at that, “Yeah. Sure, you’re totally like the other tributes here, thanking us for our work and not just screaming, crying, or acting like a zombie.” 

Pixma smiles brightly at Val and nods in agreement, “Mmhm. You’re the first tribute to ever show us gratitude. You were nice to us and actually committed to engaging in small talk which is more than we can say past tributes have given us.”

“It is only right we give you something in return so why not help you out by giving advice you and your sister can use to gain advantage,” Lazarus says with a small smile.

Val looks at the three as if he were seeing them all for the first time and they look back as if he were some one of a kind person they’re grateful for having the chance to meet.

“Also helps that we were moved by you and your sister’s reaping,” Lazarus adds with a shrug.

“Very, _very_ moved,” Kanon says with a look in her eyes that seems to suggest there’s more to the story than they’re letting on. It’s definitely something they can never say out loud in the Capitol from what Val can tell. It makes him feel both very flattered and also very scared at what that could mean.

“Anyways!” Pixma says as they clap their hands together to get everyone’s attention. “It’s time for you to go meet with your stylist! I think you’ll quite like him!”

“He’s a real class act, he is,” Kanon agrees with a wide smile.

“True visionary,” Lazarus says, tossing in his own two cents.

Pixma gently guides Val towards the door on the other side of the room and opens it. They gently usher him inside a room with a few couches, minimal decorations, a tea set and snacks on the table, and no stylist in sight. Val turns back to the team of assistants who all wave or give thumbs up as the door slowly closes.

“Don’t worry. You’re stylist will be there soon so just get comfy,” Pixma calls out as they walk back to join their fellow assistants.

“Good luck, young Val,” Lazarus says.

“And may the odds be in your favor,” Kanon adds as the door closes with a click. 

Val stands alone in the room and turns back around to face the couches. Since he doesn’t know when his stylist will show up, he might as well get comfortable like Pixma said. So he walks over to the couches and sits down where...

Katniss comes face to face with her stylist and she’s...actually a little surprised. 

The woman sitting before her is definitely a Capitol citizen, no doubt about it, but...there was something more muted, more...normal about her. Sure she was wearing clothes that Katniss has come to associate with the Capitol but it wasn’t loud or obnoxious. It was a simple dress, no puffy shoulders or glitter and jewels or fabric placed in odd ways, with layers of fabrics wrapping around in the purple, red, and orange tones of a sunrise. ‘Like Peeta’s favorite colors,’ Katniss’ traitor mind thought. The colors suit her stylist’s dark skin. Her hair also isn’t some crazy shade or style, just a simple bob with dark brown curls. Her makeup is also rather subdued, just some bright red lipstick, a bit of pink blush, and light purple eye shadow.

“My name is Portia! It’s so nice to finally meet you Katniss!” Portia says, her voice light and high but not grating, as she claps her hands together in excitement.

Katniss can only stare when Portia stops clapping and holds her hand out to shake. She stares at the offered hand like one would eye a snake just before it strikes. Portia pulls her hand back when it’s clear she’s not going to take it. Katniss looks up but it doesn’t seem like she’s offended as she looks at her with an expression that seems...sympathetic? Or is that just pity and it’s Val’s influence trying to convince her not to think the worst of every stranger she meets? Regardless, she’s just going to glare at this lady and hope she isn’t shoved into a miner’s outfit or worse...naked and covered in coal dust.

Portia offers her a smile as she reaches out to the tea set on the table. “I hope my assistants haven’t given you too much trouble. I gave them free reign to do what they like since I don’t quite have enough experience yet in that department,” Portia says as she pours fragrant tea from a porcelain teapot decorated with gold vines wrapping around it into two porcelain cups with similar designs. She then sets the teapot down and offers a cup to Katniss with a smile. “And I hope they didn’t make you feel uncomfortable since my goal as a stylist is to make you feel beautiful and confident in your body.”

Katniss furrows her brows together, survival senses tingling and skepticism rising at Portia’s words. “It’s your first year isn’t it,” she bluntly states making Portia blink in surprise as Katniss continues to speak plainly, tone neutral but some hostility still coming through, “And you’re just trying to make yourself feel better for getting stuck with 12 cause it is your first year or something.”

Portia laughs at that, making Katniss blink in surprise, “My! You’re rather blunt aren’t you?”

Katniss scowls, taking the cup and quickly taking a sip to distract herself. She pauses as she registers the flavor of the tea. It’s herbal, calming like chamomile but with a little something extra that tastes like strawberries with a hint of honey. She takes another sip, this one longer.

Portia carefully watches her as she too takes a sip of her tea. Then she places the cup down on a small plate that’s placed on her lap.

“There’s nothing wrong with that dear. I quite prefer it that people are honest with me, even if they are too blunt about it,” Portia says, her smile showing teeth when Katniss takes another sip to hide a rising blush, “And no. I was not given District 12 simply because it was my first year. I’m not the only first year stylist after all.”

Katniss put her cup down, confused, “Then how’d you get stuck with us?”

“Well...” Portia starts to say her expression gauges Katniss for her potential reactions, “I chose 12 when presented with the option as I wished to be a team with my brother who is also your brother’s stylist. We wanted to start our own change in the Capitol and we just happened to get lucky this year when 12 reaped a pair of siblings. It’s probably fate,” she jokes after dropping what sounded like a bombshell to Katniss, “Sibling stylists for sibling tributes.”

Portia chuckles but Katniss is too caught up on something that she had just said.

“What do you mean by change in the Capitol?” Katniss asks, sounding bitter, “I thought all of you citizen folk are fine with it the way it is.”

For a few moments, she doesn’t answer. Instead, Portia stares with a neutral expression at Katniss as if trying to dig deep past the walls she’s put up and see her true inner self beyond all the sarcasm and hostility. It unnerves Katniss greatly as seems like Portia’s able to look into her soul and all her secrets were laid bare before her calculating gaze. Only when she starts squirming does Portia break the stare and finally respond.

“I’m not surprised you caught that. You’re more perceptive than I first thought though you do seem like someone who can see past nonsense and refuse to tolerate it,” Portia responds with an even tone as she picks up her cup and takes a sip.

“Does this mean you’re answering my question?” Katniss asks, her expression a mixture of confusion, trepidation, and annoyance.

Portia places the cup back down and smiles, “Oh course.” She then places the cup on the table and clasps her hands over her lap. “My brother and I feel that the Capitol has grown complacent,” she explains, “It’s citizens have become fat, lazy, and greedy for that which is not their own. They’re content to put it simply. Content to let the President and his council direct them as they see fit without even thinking for themselves.”

Katniss grows mystified the longer Portia continues to speak. “There’s no desire to change, no passion to do something, be someone that’s genuinely different from everyone else,” Portia’s explanation slowly becomes an impassioned speech, “Everything is fake. Everyone is fake. Nothing is truly genuine or real anymore. My brother has a passion for fashion and he wants to use it to influence the people to change. To do better and be better.”

She pauses as if to gather her thoughts and keep her one-woman audience captivated and waiting in anticipation for her next words. Katniss isn’t patient enough for that so she says with much impatience, “And?”

Portia’s smile grows wider, “My brother is an artist. He uses clothes as the medium in which to carry his messages. He wants to use it to influence the citizens to change and the only way to do that is to cloth the ones the people love to watch the most, the tributes. And if fortune smiles upon us, the Victors.”

The answer totally throws Katniss off and makes her think there’s more to it than Portia is revealing. But she’s never been good at reading between the lines, it’s always better for things to be stated as plainly as possible, no mind games. God does she hate mind games. But enough of that. Portia still hasn’t technically answered her question.

“But you haven’t really answered my question,” Katniss says, “Why did you choose 12?”

Portia pauses to weigh her answer before responding, “Before the Reapings, my brother and I were debating on whether we would choose to style District 11 or District 12.”

“So you guys don’t have the districts assigned before the Reaping?” Katniss asked, confused.

“Oh no. Not after what happened during the 38th Games. The Gamemakers decreed that stylists may choose their Districts after the Reaping so as to allow more creative freedom though the order in which you may choose your District is determined by seniority status,” Portia explains.

Katniss nods in understanding and prompts Portia to continue with a tilt of her head.

“During our debate, your Reaping happened to occur just as we were about to make a final decision and we were so...” Portia pauses to gather herself as emotion seems to overcome her, “Moved so...awestruck by the true display of emotions that you and your brother displayed during your Reaping. The determination and resolve to fight and live. The tears shed for a star-crossed love that would be lost if not for the impassioned cry of a sibling desperate to protect and to provide salvation for another. It shook the both of us to the core and convinced us that it would be our privilege to be your stylists.”

“So you were just “moved” by our very real and very valid emotions and just decided that we were the perfect pawns to be used for whatever political message you guys wanted to send?” Katniss asks, her rage slowly rising as Portia’s words make it seem as if they only chose 12 cause of the emotional show they provided rather than the fact that she and her brother didn’t want to lose their loved ones.

Portia shakes her head, “Oh no, no, no. That wasn’t what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Katniss asks, crossing her arms with a glare.

Portia raises her hands up in surrender before responding, “You and brother portrayed a display of emotions that hasn’t been seen in many, many years. We were not the only ones shaken by it. It had an impact on many others. And while we would hope you agree to allow us to style you in the manner we wish, we also chose you because you showed to the whole of Panem that you were real people with real emotions and real ties to real people. Something that the Capitol has forgotten and needs to be sorely reminded of.”

She lowers her hands and leans forward across the small table to place a hand on Katniss’ tightly clenched ones. “Within you and your brother, we saw something beautiful. A will to live, a determination to protect, a desire to fight, a drive to survive...We saw _fire_ ,” Portia says, her tone reverent and sincere, “You both deserve every chance at surviving and me and my brother want to help you get them. If you’ll let us.”

Katniss gapes, wide eyed at Portia. She wants to say something about how that was all just some mind game or Capitol trick that all the stylists used to convince their tributes they were all on the same boat when they actually weren’t. But she can’t. She’s touched by how genuine Portia is and how she seems to actually want to help.

So she decides to speak her mind the only way she knew how, plainly, to the point, and no beating around the bush. She has a brother to save after all.

“Val, my brother, is a self-sacrificing idiot,” Katniss states bluntly which makes Portia smirk in amusement, “Every decision he’s ever made has always been with the goal of protecting mine and Prim’s happiness no matter what the cost. And I am…” at this point her voice cracks from unshed tears, “So _tired_ of seeing him sacrifice his chance at happiness just so I could keep mine.”

“I want to protect my brother and give his chance back even if it’s at the expense of my own life,” Katniss declares with the fires of determination burning in her eyes.

Portia’s hand curls around Katniss’ own in a gesture of comfort. “I feel the same for my brother as well,” Portia confesses, “He’s passionate about his beliefs even though they are considered radical and treasonous under the President’s regime. But I’ll do anything to make sure they are achieved even if I have to play the scapegoat just so he can live to fight another day.”

The two women sit in silence, connecting on a level that quietly tells them that they will support each other in their individual endeavors. It’s a connection only achievable when one is a younger sister to a self-sacrificing older brother.

“Now,” Portia pats Katniss’ hands in reassurance, “Why don’t you take a quick nap? That was a rather emotional talk we had and it’s probably drained you.”

Katniss appreciates the gesture though she asks, confused, “But don’t I still need to get dressed or something? The tribute parade’s happening soon right?”

Portia laughs, “Oh no. That won’t happen for a few hours. We still have time. Besides, my brother is probably just meeting with yours. He needed to stay back for a bit in order to go over the final details for your outfits.”

“Alright then,” Katniss agrees, rolling with it cause she actually is kind of tired. “Oh!” she exclaims as a thought suddenly occurs to her, “I forgot to ask. What’s your brother’s name?”

“My name is Cinna,” Val’s stylist greets with his hand held out, “It’s nice to meet you Valerian.”

Val tentatively takes the offered hand and shakes it as politely as he can. “Please call me Val,” he says as he eyes Cinna critically, “You’re...not what I was expecting.”

Cinna looks amused because it’s true. He doesn’t look like any Capitol citizen Val has seen in all of his 18 years. Cinna has an average build and is dressed in a silk, dark maroon button down and form-fitting black slacks that still manage to stand out against his dark skin. His hair is a close shave and his beard artfully trimmed. The only indications that Cinna is indeed a Capitol citizen are the small, gold hoop earrings and light gold eye shadow. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Cinna says with a grin, telling Val that this look was exactly what he was going for.

Val gives a small smile in return, slowly relaxing because hey, this might not be so bad after all. Maybe he and his sister will get lucky and they won’t have to wear oversized miner’s outfits or nothing but coal dust.

Cinna gestures for Val to sit down and get comfortable on the couch as he moves to sit on the one across.

“So,” Val says as he sits back down, “Did you pull the short straw or something? You must’ve wanted some other District besides 12 right?”

“Is that what you think?” Cinna asks while draping his arms over his crossed legs.

“Well why else would you get stuck with picking 12?” Val asks in confusion cause really, what stylist would willingly choose the District with no Victor besides a drunk.

Cinna hums in thought before responding, “My partner and I chose District 12 on our own volition even though it was expected for my partner to receive 12 regardless as it’s her first year.”

“And you still chose to stay partnered with her and District 12?” Val asks, looking completely mystified that yes, there was indeed a stylist who willingly chose 12 and wasn’t held at gunpoint while doing so.

Cinna nods and Val just has to ask him, “Why?”

The two then commence with a stare down. On one side is Val who’s all wide-eyed and mystified, looking at Cinna like a mythical creature that couldn’t be real because it was a myth. On the other is Cinna who stares at Val with a calculating gaze as if trying to strip him down and read his soul like a book. 

Whatever Cinna finds must be acceptable cause he nods and responds to Val’s question with the utmost seriousness. “I have always felt that the Capitol was rather...stagnant in its beliefs and day to day routine. There’s no desire to change anything beyond one’s physical appearance, no drive to seek the unknown beyond the walls of the Capitol, no fight to become the better example that’s been preached by our President to 13 and back.”

Val visibly starts when Cinna mentions District 13 because no one mentions 13. It’s become synonymous with treason and thus taboo to even think about let alone speak of it. Cinna continues on, watching Val’s reactions with a sharp gaze.

“There’s no passion, no drive, no motivation. No one in the Capitol has any fire left. There needs to be a change. Something that can relight the fire in everyone’s eyes,” he explains with a passion that draws Val in and makes him forget that what Cinna’s saying is basically treason, “When I saw the Reaping for 12, I was moved by the raw emotions you and your sister displayed. Never in all my years had I ever seen something so passionate, so emotional, so _real_. Even a blind man could tell that you only chose to volunteer to protect your sister and to care for someone like that...It’s not something that’s taught here in the Capitol. It’s citizens only care based on what they can receive whether it be entertainment, wealth, or power. And any one who dares to care beyond that must hide it away lest the Peacekeepers catch wind of it and make them disappear.” Then Cinna’s expression turns grave, “But if enough citizens are shown what it’s like to care and are encouraged to no longer be stagnant in their shallow ways,” he chuckles darkly, “Well, they can’t make all of them disappear.”

Val gapes at Cinna as he smooths his features back to neutral. “But isn’t that basically treason?” he asks, completely bewildered.

Cinna merely smiles with an unreadable expression, “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

It’s then that Val realized that Cinna had just entrusted Val with a secret. And he’s touched that a stranger, and a Capitol citizen at that, trusted some random kid from 12 with a secret as heavy as this. It made him feel obligated to share a secret in return, especially one that’s been weighing heavily in the back of his mind. A secret that was out of sight and out of mind, but one that refused to be truly forgotten.

“My reason for volunteering isn’t as noble or as passionate as you think,” Val confesses.

Cinna raises an eyebrow at that. He’s curious by what Val means and it prompts him to continue speaking.

“It may seem like I volunteered to protect my sister’s boyfriend and thus give her the best chance to make it back to him...but that’s not the whole reason,” he says, taking a deep breath to center himself before continuing, “I’m not Katniss’ real brother.”

Now that caught Cinna’s attention. “What do you mean by that? The sibling bond between you two seemed too real to be faked,” he asks, confused.

“Well I mean I am her real brother, but I’m not her _real_ brother. I wasn’t born into the Everdeen family but adopted,” Val explains which clears up some of the confusion Cinna expressed, “Her father, our father, saved my life and offered me a home when my family was killed months before I made my way to District 12. Yeah I wasn’t always from 12 either,” he replies when Cinna opens his mouth to voice the question.

“I volunteered because I owe a debt to my sister’s family for taking me in when they didn’t have to. And the only way to repay it is to make sure Katniss goes home alive. The fact that I also happened to help Peeta out is just a bonus,” Val finishes confessing.

Cinna nods with a deep understanding that has Val questioning if Cinna himself had a younger sibling he’d do anything for. Maybe it’s his stylist partner or maybe it’s someone who was recently made to disappear by the Capitol, which could explain why he’s acting so gung ho about committing treason instead of being more subtle about it. 

“I’d also like to tell you my real name...” Val offers hesitantly since he’s already confessed one half of his secret, he might as well go all in.

But Cinna shakes his head. “No,” he firmly responds, rejecting the offer, “That is not a secret I need to know.” His expression softens and he places a comforting hand on Val’s which had unconsciously clenched during his confession. Cinna’s hand is warm and surprisingly reassuring as slowly unclenches his hands under his comforting grasp.

Val looks up and meets Cinna’s unwavering gaze. “Your name is an important part of you Val,” Cinna says, gently patting Val’s relaxed hands before returning his own to his lap, “You should keep it close to your heart and only share it when there is absolute trust, not for some twisted form of an eye for an eye trade. That’s not why I told you what I did. Nod if you understand what I’m saying.” 

Val nods slowly, brain running a mile a minute as it works to process the words Cinna just spoke. Seeing the steam that was probably coming out of his ears, Cinna leans back on the couch and taps his chin thoughtfully.

“How about we switch gears and talk about the outfit designs we’ve come up with for you and your sister?” Cinna suggests in an attempt to switch topics and remove the suddenly melancholic atmosphere. Val gratefully jumps at the chance and nods vigorously before pausing.

“It’s not going to be anything unflattering like some variation of a miner’s uniform or like that one time the tributes were covered in coal dust and nothing else, right?” Val asks, suddenly weary cause if he’s going to be presented in front of millions of people before he dies, he might as well look good doing it.

Cinna smiles widely in a rather unnerving imitation of the smile Haymitch had before throwing them to the stylish wolves. With a completely serious tone that shows not even the slightest hint of joking despite the Cheshire Cat-like smile, Cinna asks, 

“How do you feel about _fire_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of part two of three! Hope you guys enjoyed it and were able to follow along with the changing POV’s. I tried to be all slick with the transitions but still making it obvious so you guys know it’s changed but I don’t really know if I succeeded. I also hope I wasn’t repeating myself too much. I’m a little more self-conscious of this chapter than the previous ones cause I’m trying to give Cinna and Portia more personality and character depth while working to establish relationships of trust between them and their respective tributes...but I feel like I got really repetitive and talky here? I don’t know, it might just be the stress and anxiety talking but I hope you guys enjoyed reading it regardless. 
> 
> Next chapter’s when the tribute parade is happening and the long awaited reunion between Val/Cato and Clove, which will be where his past and present identities start to clash! And I hope that I’ll be able to meet your expectations and my own goals for that chapter. Until next time!


	11. Where All They Want is a Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Opening Ceremony is finally underway. Unfortunately, an unexpected reunion causes forgotten fears to raise again to the forefront of Val's mind. The past refuses to stay away but at least it's a good thing Katniss is there to get his head on straight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Sorry again about this chapter being a wee bit late and for accidentally starting a running trend of trying to post on time but missing the mark but just this much. Stress from personal events have hit again and let’s just say, I have reached a new level of burning hatred for people who try to hide their money grubbing attempts when they’re supposed to be helping you. Anyways, here’s the last of the Capitol deep dive! The Opening Ceremony! Hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

This is insane.

It’s complete and utter madness.

There’s no need to even try and come up with a game plan for making it past the bloodbath and surviving the rest of the Games until they were in the final 2 because Val and Katniss weren’t even going to live long enough to step foot in the arena.

“I’m going to die,” Val deadpans.

Cinna rolls his eyes as he continues to make last minute adjustments to Val’s outfit. “You are not going to die.”

“Yes I am because you’re going to set me on fire. The only way this will end is with my death,” Val retorts before dramatically wailing out, “I should’ve known the stylist would be the one to take me out. No one ever suspects the stylists.”

“Oh yes this was my plan all along, convincing all the stylists to kill their tributes because that’s definitely not going to backfire on us or anything,” Cinna plays along with his words dripping in sarcasm but smile heavily amused.

Val mumbles his response.

“What was that?” Cinna asks, playfully.

“I said I hate this idea and I hate you for coming up with it,” Val declares, stabbing a finger in Cinna’s direction.

“No you don’t,” he states matter of fact.

“No I don’t,” Val agrees with a vague sense of deja vu that’s shaken off when Cinna slaps him on the back encouragingly. 

“You’re going to be fine. The fire’s not real. It’s artificial so it won’t actually burn you or feel warm. Once your chariot sets off, I’ll trigger the device that will spark the fire. You don’t have to worry about a thing,” Cinna reassures. “Now go out there and show your stuff, boy on fire,” he jokingly says while directing Val towards where Katniss stands next to the District 12 chariot.

“That’s not funny!” Val shouts back while crossing the distance of the large hall where all the tributes are gathered for the parade.

He pointedly avoids looking in the direction of the Career Tribute Districts on the off chance that the person he desperately hopes isn’t a tribute is in fact a tribute. Instead he focuses his attention on his sister and the outfits they are both currently wearing.

Thankfully they were not shoved into another Capitol variation of what they believe a miner’s uniform looks like nor were they stripped down of all clothes and smothered with a generous helping of coal dust. Their outfits were surprisingly simple but also rather brilliant in its creativity. The outfit is a form-fitting bodysuit made of soft black leather that’s flexible and easy to move in. The arms, legs, and torso of the suit are plated with hard black leather like body armor with a texture meant to mimic coal and a sleek, shiny finish to make it stand out against the suit. The laced up boots coming to a stop just below the knees are also made of black leather that’s been polished till Val can almost see his reflection when he looks down at them. Veins of red, orange, and yellow streak throughout the suit giving it the appearance of burning coal. To tie the whole outfit together are strips of black cloth lining down the back which will be lit on fire before their chariot sets off.

Katniss continues to stand around with her entire body stiff and eyes darting around like a rabbit ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. She relaxes minutely when Val reaches her but she’s still as tense as a pulled bowstring.

“I don’t like this,” she hisses out with clenched teeth.

“I don’t like it either but Haymitch said we have to do whatever the stylists say so...” Val shrugs helplessly.

Katniss narrows her eyes. “I don’t think Haymitch accounted for the fact that our stylists might try to set us on fire.”

“Well how about this. If we feel any heat or burning sensations occur, we rip each other’s “capes” off?” he suggests, “Ya know a “you pull my cape, I pull yours” kind of deal?”

“Fine,” she reluctantly agrees, her tense posture relaxing at the reassurance, “But you know this isn’t exactly a cape which makes the whole ripping off thing a lot harder.”

He rolls his eyes. There goes Katniss’ mouth again. Usually when she’s scared her first defense mechanism is snark, then violence or vice versa. But if you rattle her enough, she’ll try to use logic and an attention to details no one could give two shits about to try and change the topic. When her fear response reaches that specific stage...well let’s just say Katniss should stick with her snark and fists. For now, he needs to distract her.

“Seriously?” he says with staged (though she could never tell the difference whenever she reached Stage 3 of her fear response) disbelief, “That’s what you’re focusing on?”

“I just don’t like being set on fire okay?” she responds defensively, pouting.

Great! She’s distracted. Now’s the time to tease and joke.

“But why? The people love you because of your inner fire!” he cries out dramatically.

“Exactly,” she agrees vehemently, “ _Inner fire_. There’s no outer fire involved.”

Val can’t help it. The way Katniss said such a “no duh” phrase so seriously like he’s a 5 years old still learning not to play with fire. He bursts out laughing, full on clutching his gut laughing. Katniss startles at that cause what she said and the way she said it really shouldn’t have been that funny to him but all the emotions that’ve been building up since the Reaping and holy shit, the day hasn’t even finished yet what the hell. It just had to be released somehow, somewhere, and if he’s being honest, he’d rather it’s released through uncontrollable laughter because Katniss “You wanna fight?” Everdeen tried to speak logically rather than through uncontrollable tears in the middle of a too clean, too extravagant, _too empty_ room in the Capitol.

Katniss’ face flushes red in embarrassment having just clicked to the fact that she did indeed reach Stage 3 and god does she hate Stage 3 with a burning passion.

“Shut up!” she shouts out, completely flustered.

When Val shows no sign of stopping, she starts beating him, punching his arm repeatedly with a strength weakened by embarrassment, which only makes Val laugh even harder.

The two siblings are unaware of the fact that they have now caught the attention of almost every tribute in the hall, especially one specific tribute from 2 who is now marching over in their direction like a woman on a mission and nothing’s going to stop her from completing it.

“Cato?” a very familiar, very surprised voice calls out. An almost forgotten voice from an almost forgotten past. It rings in his ears and the name echoes in his mind as he immediately clams up and freezes like a deer caught in the crosshairs of a hunter. Katniss watches, bewildered.

“Cato?” the voice says again, more tentatively this time with a combination of hesitancy and disbelief like maybe she was wrong about the name and the person being connected in the way she thought it would be.

Slowly, Val turns to face the source of the voice. He comes face to face with the one person he thought he’d never see again and had hoped would never see in a place like this. Clove Kentwell, the best friend he had to leave behind, hasn’t changed much in the past 8 years. She’s still short, the top of her head barely reaching his shoulder, and she still looks the same with her dark brown hair in her typical braid that’s accented by the head band with bronze wings coming out the sides. Her body’s lean and toned physique is accented by a gladiator’s garb and amour making her look like the Valkyries they both read about in the mythology books hidden in the back of the District 2 library. Her face, despite her eyes holding hope and despair in equal measure, still carries that same mischievous look that guaranteed trouble whenever she smiled.

“Clove!” he blurts out, unable to stop himself from doing so because right now, at this moment, he feels relieved. So relieved. The kind of relieved you feel after hiding a secret for so long because doing so keeps yourself and, more importantly, your loved ones safe but it’s so hard to keep hiding something so fundamental about you until the moment occurs when the secret is finally revealed through circumstances out of your control and now you don’t have to hide it anymore.

Then the relief is gone, washed away by fear. An overwhelming fear that rushes over Val like a cave-in with no signs of stopping. The fear that this was it. This was the moment where everything that he hid, everything that he locked away to protect his family, was going to be thrown out into the open, in the middle of the Capitol no less, where the one who knows will see and will finish what was started. But not before dragging his loved ones - no matter how involved or not they were with his past - into the line of fire.

And secretly, he always knew what would happen if he ever ended up on the Capitol’s radar. No one, whether they’re a rebel or connected to one, has ever been able to escape the Capitol’s grasp. The number of filmed executions and reports of those who just happened to “disappear” were staggering during the early years of the rebellion before dropping down to the occasional few that served as additional reminders to _stay in your place_. It’s only now he’s recognizing the fact that by trying to save his sister’s life, he might have doomed everyone he’s ever loved.

So he attempts to salvage the situation, quickly smoothing his expression and desperately shoving the fear back down to never be thought about again cause he’s going to die anyways and then his fears will never come to pass.

“I’m sorry but I think you’ve got the wrong person. My name’s not Cato,” he manages to say without stumbling but definitely missing a crucial amount of believability. 

Val watches Clove cycle through a variety of emotions in a blink of an eye. Finally she settles on total confusion. “But you have to be,” she insists, “You said my name! How does a tribute from 12 know my name when the Reapings haven’t even been broadcasted nationwide yet?”

He turns his back on her, unable to hide the emotions that cycle through his own voice. He can see Katniss grow concerned as she continues to watch, waiting for the right moment to intervene. 

“You just look like someone I know and she just coincidentally had the same name as you okay? So just drop it and leave me alone already, Career!” Val shouts out with as much anger and venom as he can in the vain hope that Clove would just drop it but he knows she won’t. 

His entire body tenses as he prepares for the inevitable hit that would come cause he’s a shit liar and everyone knows it. Clove was always the sweet talker whenever they got into trouble and even though he’s picked up on some of her tricks, he’s unable to use any when thrown off balance. Even Katniss wouldn’t be able to help because she’s even more of a shit liar than him so she’d default to throwing her own hit and then they’d end up drawing the attention of the tributes or worse, the Peacekeepers and then that might bring about the attention of the President who would definitely take action against his family so causing a scene at the freaking tribute parade and then-

The arms thrown around him halt his spiraling train of thought. At first he tenses even further and shuts his eyes in case Clove decides to use whatever new moves she picked up at the Academy on him. After a few moments pass, he realizes that she’s not trying to beat his ass but instead she’s...hugging him? And is that a sniffle he hears?

All the tension in Val’s body disappears when Clove’s arms release him. He turns back to face her and sees she’s furiously, but carefully, wiping away the tears that have gathered in her eyes. His heart clenches at the sight because while he doesn’t want to risk putting his family in danger...he really has missed his best friend and he never wanted to hurt.

“Oh come on, Clove. Don’t cry. It doesn’t suit your small yet mighty image,” Val says, caving into the forgotten desire to tease his best friend with their old running joke.

Clove laughs though her soft sobs that make it sound like she’s choking on her tears. “I’m not small, I’m vertically challenged. It’s only been _eight years_ and you’re still as much of a dick as ever,” she chokes out as she tries to gain control of her emotions.

Val gasps, dramatically scandalized. “Clove! You’d best watch your language young lady or else your mom’s gonna break out the soap.”

That has Clove laughing again, this time with fewer tears as she finally gets a reign on her emotions. She just looks at Val, taking the sight of him in, filing every detail of what’s changed and hasn’t changed because it’s been eight years since she’s last seen him. Eight years since she heard the news and believed him to be dead along with the rest of his family.

“Better my mom than yours, Cato. That frying pan of her’s was the stuff of nightmares,” Clove throws back, making Val’s heart pang with the dull grief at another reminder of his long gone mother.

“Who is this _Cato_ you speak of?” Val asks jokingly in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere and hoping the stress he put on his old name would give Clove the hint to not call him by that anymore. Thankfully, she’s still as quick on the uptake as ever as her eyes widen from connecting dots that still don’t form a full picture but there’s enough for her to understand.

“Alright Val,” she says, playing along before punching him in the arm. He rubs his arm in confusion at the thankfully light hit. She rolls her eyes.

“That’s for making me think you were dead, you dingus.”

Then she punches him again but much harder and more likely to leave a bruise.

“Ow!” he cries out as he rubs his arm to soothe the pain, “What was that for?”

She frowns at him. “That’s for never even trying to let me know you weren’t dead.”

“I was living in 12! Mail’s not exactly a thing over there. We don’t even have a post office set up,” Val tries to defend himself.

“You had eight years to send a message. Literally any kind of message would’ve worked! Hell, I’d even been fine with smoke signals back then” she retorts, striking down his frankly pathetic argument like she would a moving target with her knives.

“I didn’t want to drag you into my problems. You already had so much going on back home and I didn’t want to add my own into the mix. It wouldn’t have been fair to you,” he says, trying to defend himself and his actions. 

Clove’s frown deepens. She punches him much harder this time and it’s definitely going to leave a sizable bruise. 

“Ow! What the hell was that one for?” he cries out again as he holds his arm and moves it out of Clove’s punching range.

“That’s for being stupid enough to think I wouldn’t have helped you!” she responds which only sparks an argument to erupt between the two with a fascinated Katniss watching the back and forth like a captivating hunt with no clearly defined hunter.

“Well I’m sorry I didn’t think about getting help or for wanting to protect you. I was busy running for my life!”

“That’s a shit excuse! You can still communicate while running!”

“Again, I was running for my life! How is that a shit excuse!”

“You’re a man, you tell me!”

“What does me being a man have to do with anything!”

“It’s just a fact that all you men are the same when it comes to being macho and self sacrificing when it comes to women!”

“I was ten back then! A kid! A goddamn little boy! I didn’t give two shits about my macho-ness when I was, again, _running for my life_!”

“Again with the excuses!”

“Ok guys!” Katniss says, quickly intervening before the argument devolves into physical fight, “While this has been really fascinating to watch, I think I’m owed an introduction.” She turns to face Val and asks with a too large smile, “Who is this, Val?”

Clove quirks an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, _Val_. Who am I?”

Val rolls his eyes as he falls back into that familiar routine with Clove as if his family was never killed and he was never forced to run away from everything he’d ever known. He’s also pointedly ignoring the fact that he now has to introduce his chaotic, trigger happy sister to his chaotic prankster best friend and hope the world doesn’t catch on fire.

“Katniss, Clove. Clove, Katniss,” he says while gesturing between the two girls, “There, now you’ve met each other. Moving on.”

Katniss holds out a hand to shake, which Clove meets with a firm grip.

“Nice to meet you, Clove. I’m Val’s younger sister,” Katniss says as her eyes size Clove up.

“Nice to meet you too, Katniss. I’m Ca-I mean _Val’s_ best friend,” Clove responds as her grip tightens just a smidge.

The two seem to share a silent conversation that goes straight over Val’s head but he can definitely pick up on the tension between them, like lightning crackling and ready to strike when you’re least expecting it. Then the tension immediately disappears as the two girls nod with some sort of understanding passing between them and they both let go of each other’s hands. Girls. Val will never understand them.

Clove turns to face Val, her face losing its early light heartedness and taking on a serious expression with sadness clear in her eyes.

“We were told that your family was accused of committing treason against the Capitol,” she says, voice soft so as to not be heard by any of the curious onlookers, “And that when confronted by Peacekeepers and told to surrender,” Clove pauses as her voice grows rough from remerging tears. “Your family fought back,” she chokes out, “And the Peacekeepers had no choice but to open fire and unfortunately, you and other young innocents were dragged into the crosshairs and killed.”

She sniffs again and blinks rapidly to push back the tears. “I went to your funeral Cato.”

“I’m so sorry Clove. And…it’s Val now,” he says, not really knowing how to process what Clove just said.

She looks up at him sharply. 

Val shakes his head. “Not here. I can’t explain the whole thing right now but only part of what you were told was true. And you’ve got to call me Val from now on,” he says with his voice taking on a serious tone to let Clove know he means business.

She nods, trusting him like he’s always trusted her.

He softens and smiles before pulling her into a hug. “I’ve really missed my best friend.”

She wraps her arms around him and smiles into the hug. “I’ve really missed my best friend too. It’s just not the same without you. No partner in crime to create chaos and keep everyone on their toes. I haven’t pulled a prank since you’ve, well, officially but not technically died,” she complains with a pout.

The two pull back from the hug. Val coos at her, “Awww. You poor thing.”

Clove playfully rolls her eyes, “It’s just been more unbearable without you, alright?”

“Oh? Like how?” he asks, now intrigued.

She goes to answer but is stopped by an arm wrapping around her shoulder and drawing her away from Val and Katniss.

The two siblings blink in surprise as they follow the arm back to its source, a young man with a well-built body structure of pure muscle that’s further accented by the same gladiator garb and gold armor as Clove’s. His brown hair is cut close to his head in a slightly spiked buzz cut and his facial features would be considered exceptionally handsome if it weren’t for the snarl marring his face like a scar.

Clove scowls and smacks off the arm that’s wrapped possessively around her like she’s some sort of prized object. “What the fuck do you want, Kai?” she bites out with a venom that was only reserved for dumbasses who thought she was some possession to fight Val over ownership for back when he was still living in 2.

‘Oh. That’s how,’ Val belatedly thinks.

Kai glares at Val and Katniss, simultaneously sizing them up as potential threats and looking down on them like they’re nothing but fleas on the backs of ants. His snarl turns into a smirk when his gaze lands on Katniss and lingers, leering as his eyes travel up and down her body making Katniss’ lip curl in disgust. Val promptly shifts in front to block her from view, making Kai’s snarl return full force when he sizes him up and finds he doesn’t like the defiance he’s seeing. For a moment, Val’s afraid that Kai recognizes him but those fears are unfounded when Kai opens his arrogant mouth.

“Hey babe,” his voice haughty and full of self-entitled arrogance, “What’re you doing hanging around these losers from 12?”

Clove scowls. “Don’t call me babe,” she barks out, slapping his hand away when he tries to wrap it around her again. “And I was just sizing up the competition. They’re some of the only decent threats here after all.”

“I don’t know about that,” Kai says, deciding to just put a hand on Clove’s shoulder instead. “Nothing too special about these two, though the girl,” he leers, “I wouldn’t mind showing her what being with a real man is like.”

Katniss bristles like an angry cat ready to bite off his face behind Val who’s overprotective brother instincts go nuts and completely override his need to keep a low profile and not draw unneeded attention. He shoves Kai away from Katniss and stabs a finger at his armored chest.

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk about my sister like that,” Val bites out.

Kai smiles arrogantly, highly amused by Val’s attempt to defend Katniss’ honor. “Oho! She’s your sister huh. Never thought I’d see a pair of sibling tributes like this in my lifetime,” he says as his face morphs into something that’s slightly creepy and unhinged, “I’m gonna have so much fun killing you both, but not before I get the chance to have a little fun with your sister over your dead body.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Val defiantly says as he shoves Kai again, “You’re clearly trying to compensate for something if that’s the best threat you can come up with.”

Kai scowls before his expression turns thoughtful, “You know, you remind me of someone.”

Val tries not to flinch when Kai says that. The fears of being found out returning but are once again unfounded as soon as Kai opens his mouth, again.

“He was an arrogant piece of shit who thought he was all that just cause his daddy was the best Victor District 2 had ever seen,” Kai continues on, clearly having not connected the dots and not even realizing that there were dots to connect. “Then his family turned out to be a bunch of traitors and we all know what happens to traitors.”

Val, Katniss, and Clove stand silent, bodies tense as Kai smirks.

“They die,” he says as he cuts a finger across his neck, making the siblings flinch as he smiles at their reaction. “I always knew something was wrong with him. I’ll never understand why you were friends with him babe,” he says, attention back on Clove as his hand tries to sneak its way across her back, “He was always poking his nose where it didn’t belong. Always getting in my face and trying to come between us like he’s the one who owns you when clearly we are the ones destined to be together.”

Clove frowns and shakes his hand away. She’s clearly not having any of Kai’s hypocritical bullshit but she’s also not willing to cause a bigger scene since Val’s reaction to his old name clued her in to the fact that there’s something more going on in regards to his family’s death and a low profile is absolutely necessary.

Instead she shakes her head and responds with a tone as dry as sand, “Well he was a hell of a lot more interesting than you. Definitely better at everything than you ever were too.” Her lip quirks up into a sarcastic smirk. “And I’ll bet if he was still alive, he’d have smoked you in the Academy _and_ be the one standing here as my tribute partner instead of you.”

Val snorts at that before trying to hide it behind a cough. Unfortunately, Kai notices and scowls.

“You laughing at me, you piece of shit?”

“Oh I’m not laughing at you...” Val begins to say.

Kai arrogantly smirks, “That’s what I thou-”

“I was just laughing at the fact that you are such a hypocritical douchebag who’s desperately trying to compensate for something,” Val looks down Kai’s body, “And it definitely isn’t your ego.”

Katniss glances sharply at Val since he’d basically let slip that he knew Clove well enough to know that Kai’s being a hypocritical little shit. However, Val is completely unbothered because something’s definitely don’t change. Kai’s intelligence being one of those things as it’s been proven multiple times in the past few minutes.

Kai’s face flushes with interesting shades of red that start to head into the purple color range. He’s ready to throw down with Val right then and there but Clove quickly intervenes.

“Save it for the arena, Kai,” she says calmly with a placating hand placed on Kai’s chest even though the mere touch has her cringing. 

Kai backs down and turns away with a scoff. Val lets out a quiet sigh of relief. Katniss watches the entire exchange with a new level of respect for Clove.

“Oh now we definitely need to meet up after the parade even though we’ll probably kill each other later,” Katniss exclaims much to Val’s disbelief and everyone else’s surprise.

Clove shakes off the surprise and smiles. “Oh definitely,” she agrees, “You seem like partner in crime material. If we manage to create enough chaos, who knows? I might even leave you alone and let someone else kill you.”

The two girls shake hands much to Kai’s confusion. Val just resigns himself to the fact that the world’s going to crumble to ruin before they’ve even set foot in the arena, hell before the Opening Ceremony even begins. All he can do now is pray he’ll survive the aftermath of Clove and Katniss’ special brand of chaos.

Eventually Kai snaps out of his confusion, which is quickly replaced by rage.

“Come on babe. You’ve clearly been exposed to these two pieces of trash for too long. They’re already poisoning your mind,” Kai snaps out as he grabs Clove by the arm and drags her away.

Clove follows along and decides to cheekily wave at the two siblings. “See you later guys,” she calls out, “We’ll do brunch, yeah?”

“Definitely! How does tomorrow at 11 sound?” Katniss agrees with Val dumbly nodding along.

Kai turns to glare over his shoulder at Val while still marching away with Clove in hand. “You’re gonna regret this 12!”

“Which 12 you talking about?” Katniss calls out with a smirk.

Kai shouts out in frustration and the two from 2 walk back across the hall to their chariot leaving the two siblings alone with the tributes from 10 and 11 watching them, intrigued and curious by what just went down.

Val and Katniss laugh to themselves as they watch Kai storm off like an angry Buttercup hissing and spitting at everyone who got in his way with Clove standing in for Prim just following along and making sure he doesn’t fall into a ditch along the way.

The light mood quickly turns somber when a ringing bell sounds throughout the hall.

“Attention all tributes and staff. The Opening Ceremony shall begin shortly,” a woman’s voice announces, her words ringing throughout the hall, “All final preparations must be completed within the next few minutes before the first chariot shall be sent out. Thank you and Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.”

And just like that, reality crashes down on them again. The two siblings are clearly not ready to be paraded around like the prized livestock they now were. Val especially is not ready as his fears begin to creep back and take its hold on his mind while his nerves have him pacing back and forth in a vain attempt to regain some semblance of control.

Fortunately for him, Katniss is not unfamiliar with his ways of coping with negative emotions like fear and anxiety. She knows how to get him out of his head by helping him identify the source of those emotions and analyze that source until he gains an understanding that allows him to regain control of his mental state. Unfortunately for the both of them, the current source for this particular case is one Val really doesn’t want to analyze.

“Sooo...” Katniss clasps her hands behind her back as she leans towards Val with a _look_. “You wanna tell me what that was all about?” She immediately backtracks when Val gives her a _look_. “Or we can just talk...about anything, anything at all. Like how about these costumes, yeah?”

“No, I’m good. I’m fine,” he responds, grateful for her offer of a subject change but very reluctant to do any more talking, even though he knows that bottling it up would just make everything worse.

“Right,” she drawls out, clearly not believing him, “So that wasn’t you panicking over having your old life come up cause you had the terrible luck of having your old best bud from 2 show up as a tribute.”

Val groans. He really doesn’t want to have this conversation right now, especially not in a large hall situated in the heart of the Capitol of all places and just before the Opening Ceremony of the Hunger Games while surrounded by 22 other tributes. But this is a conversation that must be had or he might actually explode this time from all the emotions building up inside him again.

He rubs at the back of head with a deep sigh of resignation. “You know how I’m originally from 2 before running to 12 after my family got killed and then I got adopted by you guys and even had my name changed, right?”

“Uh yeah? But that’s old news now,” she replies, not understanding what he’s trying to say, “What’s your point?”

Val takes a few breaths, in and out, in and out, to steady himself and calm his beating heart. “My point is that...I’ve got a new identity. I’ve got a new name, a new family, a new life. I’m all grown up and even changed physically as well.”

Katniss nods along, still confused.

“I’ve managed to move on from what happened in my old life and became a new person where no one’s been able to recognize me as that little boy whose family was killed for being traitors,” he continues to say and that’s when it starts to click for Katniss, the realization makes her eyes widen. 

Val doesn’t notice though as he’s already on a roll, words continuing to tumble out of his mouth as his emotions bubble to the surface. “But now that Clove’s here and she _recognized_ me even if she might be the only one, who’s to say others won’t. My family was very well known among the District 2 population and my father was close with many of the other Victors who’d definitely be mentors during these Games. I could be recognized and it wouldn’t even matter if I’d moved on. My past is still a stain on my identity no matter how hard I try to build a new one.”

“Val-” Katniss tries to interject but Val’s not done speaking yet.

“I can’t afford to get caught, Katniss. If any of the Victors recognize me, especially the ones with a deluded sense of loyalty to the Capitol, it would be reported straight to the Peacekeepers, which would definitely be reported to the President. He’s the one who increased the penalty of treason to execution as soon as he took office. And if I am found out, it’ll put our entire family in jeopardy. And…and...,” here he hesitates, unwilling to voice his thoughts but he has to or else they’ll eat away at him and he’ll never be able to concentrate on saving his sister. Taking another deep breath, he says, voice so quiet Katniss has to strain her ears just to hear him, “Then they’ll be killed just for having associated with me just like my family was killed because I wouldn’t go to the academy. I don’t think I could live with myself if I was the reason for your deaths.”

After saying what he needed to, Val wraps his arms around himself as if he’s trying to literally hold himself together even as he’s figuratively falling apart. Katniss is speechless, unable to react while her mind races to figure out how she should act. Finally, she settles on her default reaction - actions over words and if actions aren’t enough, then she’ll trust her instincts and let them lead her to saying the right words.

Her arms wrap around and bring him in for a hug. He stiffens on reflex but relaxes once his mind catches up with his body.

“I will never be able to understand what you went through,” she says, “And I don’t want to even try to because it seems like more effort than it’s worth and empathy has never been my thing.”

Val chuckles at that, though it sounds suspiciously wet. Katniss tightens the hug just a little more.

“But the one thing that I can understand is that everyone makes their own decisions and no matter how hard they try, it will always end up affecting someone. You’re just going to drive yourself insane like you are right now if you keep doing that,” she says with her voice full of conviction, “You cannot continue to blame yourself for your family’s deaths. Wanna know why?”

Val nods, taking comfort in her embrace even though it’s always been the other way around till now.

“Because it was your dad’s decision not yours. He’s the one who chose not to send you. You just followed his lead because he’s your dad and kids listen to their dad. He’s the one who chose to be a rebel, fighting against the tyranny that looked at his actions and deemed it treason. You were just the unfortunate survivor of a tragedy that never should’ve happened if the world wasn’t the way it was.”

He laughs wetly at that. “Since when did you get so logical? And was that empathy I heard?”

Katniss frowns and releases her hold on him. “I’ll have you know that I’ve always been logical and empathetic. I’ve just always preferred to show it through actions not words.” Then she shudders. “But never let me do that again. It felt so wrong to be the one lecturing you about shit like that instead of just punching it out of you.”

Val mock salutes her with an almost lazy grin. Katniss smacks him on the arm in the same spot where Clove punched him three times. He yelps more out of shock than pain. He looks to Katniss with a wounded expression. She merely rolls her eyes and shakes her head with a smile.

Then a ringing bell sounds throughout the hall.

“All tributes. Please immediately board your chariots. The Opening Ceremony is about to begin. I repeat, all tributes. Please immediately board your chariots. The Opening Ceremony is about to begin,” a woman’s voice announces.

Her ringing voice is immediately followed by a flurry of motion as tributes board their respective District chariots and stylists and mentors move to one side of the hall. Val quickly boards the chariot and holds his hand out for Katniss to grab. 

“United we stand?” he asks.

“Together we fall,” she agrees as she grabs his hand and hoists herself up onto the chariot.

The two siblings keep hold of each other’s hands as their chariot moves to join the end of line of chariots wanting to embark down the stupidly long path towards the center of the Capitol where President Snow will give his customary Opening Ceremony speech signaling the start of the Hunger Games.

Val swallows thickly as his hand squeezes Katniss’. Unbeknownst to him, Katniss quickly glances at him. Her mind racing a mile a minute as she processes the heart-to-heart the two siblings just had.

‘Val...you are the living price of what happens when people try to stand up to the tyranny of the Capitol,’ she thinks, ‘But now that you’re here, I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make sure you survive because you have the chance to make a difference. To actually prove that the Capitol isn’t some all powerful, untouchable empire but a government that can make mistakes that will come back to tear them down.’ She returns her gaze to the chariot in front of her where the tributes from 11, a tall, bulky boy and a little girl who reminds her too much of Prim, stand together. ‘I just wish I could live long enough to see it,’ she thinks as she squeezes back.

A whistle nearby catches the siblings’ attention. The two look and see the entire District 12 team there to cheer them on. Haymitch stands stoically with arms crossed and surprisingly no flask in sight. Effie and the styling assistants wave enthusiastically, even jumping up and down in their excitement. Portia gives two thumbs up and smiles widely and encouragingly. Cinna points at them or more specifically their hands still squeezing the other, then clasps his own hands together, and raises them up.

Val and Katniss nod in understanding. Cinna wanted them to actually show their united front because that is their strength even when they’re supposed to fight each other. Because unlike the other tributes who have already accepted the fact that even allies will turn on each other and will stand apart to individually stand out, the two siblings from 12 have a bond and a mutual goal that ties them together in a way the Capitol will eat up just like they apparently did with their emotional display during the Reaping.

Cinna lowers his clasped hands and nods back.

And then the first chariot takes off.

“Hello there Panem! Welcome to the Opening Ceremony of the 74th Hunger Games!” Caesar Flickerman, a Capitol host well-known for his blue hair and charismatic personality, announces into a microphone. Next to him is his fellow co-host, Claudius Templesmith, a timid man with a superiority complex and blonde hair all puffed and curled like those wigs long dead musicians of the past used to wear. 

“We’re your hosts for tonight, Caesar Flickerman-” “And Claudius Templesmith!” Claudius says in his booming voice. 

“Here to give you all the latest updates and juicy details as the ceremony progresses,” Caesar says, smirking at the cameras.

“Oh look!” Claudius shouts, jumping in his seat in excitement as he points down the stands, “The first chariot has arrived!”

Glimmer and Marvel, both healthy and attractive looking teens, wave with large smiles and throw out large kisses that have the crowd going wild to “catch” them. They’re dressed in long magenta garments shining with glitter and have soft, feather covers around their shoulders. They both wear large headdresses made of feathers and glitter.

“Indeed it has!” Caesar agrees, “And it looks like the District 1 tributes, Glimmer and Marvel are strutting their stuff, proving once and for all why 1 is the number one place for all your luxury needs.”

“And here comes the District 2 tributes, Clove and Kai! They look so regal in their armor like warriors from the age of champions and Gods!”

Clove and Kai stand stoically side by side with frowns and furrowed eyebrows while holding a hand up to wave. Despite their scowls and frowns, it doesn’t deter the crowd from cheering loudly for them. 

“They definitely look like they can handle a hammer or two just like every citizen in 2 when it comes to masonry business,” Caesar agrees, “I even got my cufflinks special order from there!”

Claudius ohhs at that. “You mean the ones made with that special alloy of bronze that never rusts with the spirling patterns because they look so good on all of your suits darling.”

“And now here’s District 3 and its tributes. Amber and Noah are definitely showing off why 3 is the place to be for electronics. Look at those moving headpieces! Can I get in on some of that action, please and thank you!”

Amber and Noah smile and give small waves to the crowd. Amber wears a long black metallic dress with a silver covering over her shoulders while Noah wears a long metallic, chain link like robe. Both have large grey metal headdresses made of moving gears and parts that spiral around their heads. Amber’s tan skin and Noah’s white clash against each other.

“Now here’s District 4 and their tributes, Azora and Sebastian! Oh! Doesn’t he look so cute in that outfit. I could just eat him right up like seafood. And Azora definitely has a figure that won’t quit,” Claudius compliments with a tone that’s playful and definitely not perverted, no siree.

Azora waves with a large smile as her light blue robes that are clasped together by starfish flows around her. A large blue coral headdress that looks more like a crown made of spirals and pearls rests on her head, pushing her flowing black hair back from her face. Beside her is Sebastian, just a kid with cute redhead curls who was unfortunate enough to be reaped in his first year. He looks so small in his overflowing robes and crown like headdress.

“And here comes District 5! I give you Finch and Dean from the land of electricity and power and I’m not really digging these outfits. Are they supposed to be satellites cause let me tell yeah, discs were so last season,” Caesar states as he dramatically cringes.

Finch, another red head with defining facial features giving her the appearance of a fox, waves uncomfortably in her sparkly silver dress with no sleeves and a floppy silver disc circling her face like a satellite. She looks really cold with her pale skin turning paler. Next to her, Dean doesn’t have that issue as his outfit, though matching hers in design, actually has long sleeves. His tan skin contrasts the bright silver of his outfit.

“Next up District 6 and their tributes, Tamora and Jason and, uh...what’s 6 known for again?” Claudius asks in confusion.

“Transportation my dear Claudius which makes their outfits make no sense! What were their stylists thinking?” Caesar answers with a large smile for the cameras.

Tamora and Jason wave at the crowds with looks of confusion that they try to hide because their outfits are indeed a bit baffling. They’re dressed in shimmery yellow and patched brown robes respectively with flowing yellow, brown capes and a crescent moon curved around their heads. No idea what that has anything to do with transportation but the two tall, lean tributes are just going with it so the rest of the Capitol citizens do too.

“Anyways, next is District 7 where tributes, Sienna and Wallace, hail from the district of lumber and oh boy! I’m getting a paper cut just looking at them, isn’t that right Caesar?”

The two hosts laugh and slap each other on the backs.

Sienna and Wallace stand tall as they wave at the crowds. Their outfits do indeed look like they can give any looking at them paper cuts what with their dress, suit, and headpieces look to be made of folded paper that was sewn together. It’s a mystery how the two aren’t bleeding from paper cuts just from putting those outfits on.

“Here comes District 8, folks! Where we’ve got Savannah and Lee wearing a true color clash tragedy I mean come on! Neon magenta and neon cyan just don’t belong in the same sentence let alone the same color wheel.” 

“Well Caesar, at least it seems that the fabrics are of the highest quality that’s to be expected of the textile District!”

Savannah and Lee do indeed seem to be wearing color disaster outfits as the Capitol folks continue their cheers while trying not to cringe at the color palettes used. At least the two tributes are comfortable in their outfits because they look like they need it. Though Savannah looks to be the healthiest and more physically fit between the two with fuller cheeks and lean muscles compared to Lee’s more hollow cheeks and thin limbs.

“Oh! Up next we have Demetria and Craigh of District 9! Hey Caesar?”

“Yes Claudius?”

“What’s your take on these outfits? You think their stylists were trying to be literal or figurative about the grain? Maybe try something chic or gucci?”

The two hosts observe Demetria and Craigh who are dressed in an outfit that doesn’t seem to declare exactly which District they come from. Demetria’s red hair is styled up in a messy bun. She wears a long dress with sequins overlaid each other and a ruffle made up of multiple silver fabric circles around her neck. Next to her is Craigh, looking only slightly older than Sebastian. His black hair is slicked back to show off more of his light brown skin. He’s wearing an outfit similar to Demetria but with silver circle buttons instead of sequins and a high collar in place of ruffles.

“I don’t know Claudius, maybe they’re trying something new all together considering previous outfits for 9 have already been done ten times over! But I am digging the silver buttons on Craigh. You think his stylist will make me a suit with them?”

“You’ll never know unless you ask Caesar! And look! We’ve got District 10 coming in hot behind them. Susan and Timmer are definitely showing off what it means to be in the livestock District. Just look at those hats!”

Susan and Timmer both wear what look to be super fancy cowboy outfits complete with steel toe boots and cowboys hats. The coloring for the outfits are white with gold thread and decorations placed strategically with glitter added to make the whole thing pop. Susan waves wildly like a cowgirl ready to throw a lasso though upon closer inspection is probably just a little girl trying to deny the fact that she’s been sent to die. The crowd cheers at the adorable smile on her chubby cheeked face. Beside her is Timmer who smiles stiffly as he waves at the crowd, his muscles making the sleeves of the outfit stretch over his arms.

“I don’t know Caesar. That cowboy look’s been done a million times over for 10. And while I enjoy the gold touch they’ve added, when do you think they’ll actually switch things up a bit?”

“Don’t ask me Claudius. Who knows what goes on in a stylist’s mind? I hear it’s like being in a maze!”

The two hosts laugh until the chariot for 11 comes into view. Then they stop to coo.

“Oh! Here’s District 11 with their tributes Rue and Thresh representing the District of agriculture with their farmer’s overalls!”

“And just look at those headpieces Caesar! They look like halos making their young tribute Rue look like a cute little angel! Better get ready to have your heart melted by her cuteness during the interviews.”

Rue waves enthusiastically at the crowd though her smile is somewhat strained. She does indeed look adorable in a blue silk dress with puffy short sleeves and overalls tossed over it. Her headpieces, silver wire in the shape of grain, circle outward from her curled hair and compliments her dark skin. Next to her is Thresh who stands like a rock, strong and unmoving in his white shirt, overalls combo. The sleeves are rolled up to reveal his thick muscles and he wears a similar headpiece to Rue but with the grain circling inward rather than out. He refuses to wave and simply glares at the crowd.

“Now all we need are the tributes, Katniss and Valerian, from District 12!”

“Any ideas what their stylists will come up with when it comes to coal mining Caesar?”

“I have no clue but I’m more excited about the fact that we have sibling tributes competing against each other for these games!”

“I know right and...” Claudius cuts himself off as the District 12 chariot comes into view, “Oh my god. Caesar what is that?”

The hosts pause to lean in and gape as Katniss and Val come rolling in. Their black outfits shine in the lights but the main attention is on the pieces of fabric that make up their “capes”. The fabrics are on fire and flowing like the fiery wings of an avenging angel as flames trail behind them. The two siblings lift their intertwined hands up and the crowd goes completely nuts.

“I love it! Oh my god do I love it! The fire, the coal, the raised hands. It just screams look at how proud I am to be from District 12.”

“Indeed it does, Caesar. This year’s tributes from 12 are on fire tonight, literally!”

Katniss can’t help but stare as the crowd continues to cheer themselves hoarse as she and Val hold their hands up high. So many flowers are being tossed down at them. She manages to catch one and is unsure what to do before her body decides for her. Her arm lifts the rose up to her nose as if to smell it before raising it up high like a glass in salute. Besides her, she sees Val wink and throw kisses at the crowd. The Capitol citizens go nuts and quite a few actually faint much to her surprise.

Finally, the chariots reach the end of the road where they gather in a half circle around the stand where President Snow and his council sit up high and look down on them.

The cheering quiets down when Snow stands up from his chair and walks to the podium in front. He looks down at the tributes, gaze sweeping until it finally lands on them. Katniss and Val drop their hands but their grip tightens until Katniss fears she’ll lose circulation though she’s unwilling to loosen it for fear of losing her only life line as the President’s gaze seems to pierce through her soul.

After what seems like an eternity, Snow turns away from them and towards the crowd and tributes in general. The two siblings relax their grip but their hands are still clasped together.

“Welcome!” Snow starts before pausing to allow the crowd’s cheers to swell up again.

“Welcome!” he says again to signal for the crowd to quiet down.

Once the crowd’s cheers settle, he clears his throat. “Tributes!” he says as he places his hands on the sides of the podium. “We welcome you!” his voice booms out, carrying itself throughout the large open air plaza.

“We salute your courage! And we salute your sacrifice!”

Then his gaze travels across the crowds and tributes again.

“I am sure you are all grateful for the chance to achieve the glory of a lifetime. The chance to become our next Victor in the 74th Hunger Games!”

The crowd's cheers swell again before quickly settling as Snow opens his mouth to continue speaking. 

“Remember that disgraceful actions are unsportsmanlike and those who display as much prove they do now have what it takes to be a Victor. They will suffer the consequences like all who act as such so be sure to fight with that in mind.”

Katniss can hear Val’s breath from beside her when Snow’s gaze lands on him. His grip on her hand tightens again. She squeezes back in reassurance, her own gaze trying to pierce through Snow’s and draw his attention to her instead.

Then just as quickly as it landed, Snow’s gaze returns to the general populace.

“Now! We wish you Happy Hunger Games and may the odds...be ever in your favor.”

The crowds cheer as the chariots make their way back to the hall. However, Katniss doesn’t pay much attention, her focus on Val who’s close to having a minor breakdown as Snow’s words echo in their heads like a warning directed right at them.

Finally, their chariot arrives back at the hall and the two siblings are sufficiently distracted when their stylists, minus the assistants, and Effie rush over to shower them in praise.

“Oh! That was amazing!” Effie gushes out as she gives them hugs that barely qualified as such given the lack of physical contact.

“You guys looked amazing out there! The hands were definitely a nice touch, Cinna,” Portia complimented, giving her brother a slap on the back.

Cinna smiles as he looks at them, though his gaze seems to focus directly on Val as if to draw his attention to him instead of whatever was going on in his head. It seems to work as Val hesitantly smiles back.

“What did I tell you, boy on fire?” Cinna teasingly asks.

Val snorts. “Still too soon, Cinna. And my judgment’s still reserved. We’ve got till the interviews before I decide.”

Katniss looks to Val in question. He smiles, secretively. “Sorry Katniss. Inside joke that’s need to know and you my dear sister,” he says as he playfully pokes her forehead, “Don’t need to know.”

She pouts while rubbing childishly at her forehead. Val laughs. Then Haymitch walks up to them with a lazy smile and still not smelling of any booze.

“Well, well, well,” he drawls out, “Looks like you do have some charm hidden in there somewhere.”

Katniss smirks. “Oh I’ve got charm alright. But are you sure you should be near an open flame?”

“Come on Katniss. Be nice to the man,” Val jokingly scolds her.

Haymitch nods in agreement. “See? Listen to your brother. Besides those were just fake flames, fake-”

“We’ll just have to make sure to carry flasks of water around to put him out,” Val cuts in, making Katniss laugh at Haymitch’s dumbfounded expression.

He rolls his eyes at the two laughing siblings, stylists and escort smiling at the scene before them. “Oh ha, ha, ha. You might’ve taken a successful first step in the right direction but the real fight starts tomorrow-”

He stops speaking as he looks over their shoulders to something behind them. They turn and immediately fall quiet when they see Kai glaring at them as if trying to kill them with just his eyes. Katniss’ attention is drawn back to Haymitch when he places his arms around her and Val’s shoulders.

“Let’s continue this upstairs, come on,” he says while directing them out of the hall and towards the elevators. 

Katniss chances a glance back at Kai whose glare still follows them as they enter the elevator. The doors close behind them and they begin the quick ascent to their living quarters as the earlier feelings of lightheartedness are once again replaced with trepidation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of the deep dive folks! I gotta be honest, I have a lot of mixed feelings about this chapter. I had a plan and then that plan kind of ran away from me as I was writing so I hope you guys still enjoyed the end results and that it wasn't too repetitive.
> 
> Btw, I always thought the costume designs in the book and the movie were lacking. Like a cape on fire sure, but it’s only going to flow one way and off one piece of fabric making them just look like they’re wearing a cape that’s on fire rather than looking like they're being trailed by fire. And the movie version had a better overall look but the jets of fire actually look kind of weak and a little stupid, not gonna lie.
> 
> Also, I pulled the names and physical descriptions for the other tributes from the internet so please don’t @ me for that. Also, Kai is the only actual OC tribute. The rest are all the same, they just now have names and I’m using the film actors for their descriptions. Anywho, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I’ll see you all next time where I’ve got a surprise in store for y’all!


	12. Temper the Steel in the Subtle Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 of Training...The Calm Before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? I’m really sorry this chapter’s so late. I was literally fighting with it and myself the entire time I was writing. I don’t know what it is but I just felt like my original outline wanted to go one way, my mind wanted to go another, and then my hands wrote completely different from my outline and my mind. So...yeah. That’s my only excuse. Please enjoy this chapter in which Day 1 of training commences and we get more talky talky character development and still no action or Hunger Games.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Sunlight gently filters through the partially open curtains. The sounds of bird song and the rustling of trees fill the room. 

Val burrows deeper into the blankets, a pillow held in his arms. Katniss, a warm weight against his back, tightens her arms around his waist. His brow twitches slightly in irritation when her cold feet brush against his own, but he makes no move to dislodge her. The last time he tried to remove her from her self-proclaimed “big spoon” role, she wouldn’t stop tossing actual spoons at him for a week. She even managed to hit him during class at school even though they were both in different years and thus different buildings on opposite sides of the schoolyard.

In Val’s mind, he’s dreaming that he’s back home in 12. It’s a beautiful morning but he and Katniss are both too comfortable under their nice sheets that are only ever taken out when the temperature starts to drop. However, he knows they only have a few more minutes before Prim barges in after having woken up too damn early to milk her goat thus he had to use a pillow as her little spoon replacement to Val’s big spoon. Then she’ll pounce on them, not caring where her elbows and knees landed, and loudly proclaim that they better get up or she’ll shake ‘em off the bed.

Unfortunately, the fantasy is broken when three loud knocks echo through the room. Val and Katniss both jerk up, still sleep addled and heavily disgruntled at having been woken from their dreams. They simultaneously turn their heads to the door where a way too energetic Effie watches them with a much too creepy grin on her face.

“Oh! You two are so cute sleeping together like that! Sibling bonds truly are the deepest bonds, right after lovers of course. Now chop, chop! It’s time to get up and start your first day of training!”

On that definitely not creepy note, Effie walks away with the door still wide open. As the siblings try to shake the sleep off, Val thinks back to the events of last night after they had made their exit from the Parade Hall.

_The elevator opens with a soft ding, revealing the most extravagant living quarters Val and Katniss have ever seen. It put the luxury on the train to shame as the sitting room they were walking into was easily ten times more fancy and needlessly expensive as the one on the train. From the hanging chandeliers made of diamonds of all sizes to the plush couches of leather and fabric to even the steel lamps and sleek white coffee table, this floor was truly the peak of luxury Capitol living._

_Katniss rolls her eyes. “They’re definitely trying to butter us up with all this expensive shit, make sure we live our last few days out in the lap of luxury,” she morbidly jokes._

_“Welcome to the penthouse,” Haymitch proclaims with arms head out dramatically like the host of a Capitol talk show, “The most expensive and luxurious living quarters for tributes. Because we are of District 12, we always get the top, so get comfortable and enjoy this while you can cause you ain’t ever gonna see anything like it again.”_

_Val crosses his arms with a frown. “How the hell is any of this comfortable? If anything, I feel even more uncomfortable. Should we really be staying here?” he asks no one in particular. “I’m almost afraid to touch anything cause it’ll break or something.”_

_“You break anything, you sure as hell ain’t gonna be able to afford to fix it. I highly doubt you’ll even be able to buy a piece of thread from one of those throw pillows,” Haymitch warns but his voice drips heavily with sarcasm._

_“What the fuck is a throw pillow?” Katniss asks._

_Haymitch walks over to the couch and grabs one of the small pillows that sit in front of larger pillows. He holds up the small purple silk and gold thread pillow that wouldn’t even be able to fit under a small child’s head. It’s design is obviously more for decoration rather than practical use._

_“That’s a throw pillow?” Katniss asks, incredulously, “That wouldn’t even be able to fit under Prim or even Posy’s head.”_

_“Oh but they add such a nice aesthetic to the black suede finishing on this couch don’t you think?” Effie asks, completely serious._

_Both tributes and mentor deadpan at the air-headed escort. She tilts her head back in confusion._

_Haymitch sighs. “You know what, just go get some sleep. You did a good job tonight, took a good first step in the right direction,” he compliments before his expression turns serious, “But by doing so, you’ve both painted a large target on yourselves. You both need to be more cautious and tread very, very carefully.”_

_Val and Katniss both nod, tightlipped and grim as the images of Kai’s death glare and finger cutting across his neck come to mind._

_“Good,” Haymitch nods. “Now go to bed. I’ll talk to ya both more tomorrow morning but for now, I really gotta lay down. My head hurts.”_

_He turns away and walks down a hallway to their left. “Why the hell am I even trying to stay sober again? I really want a fucking drink,” he mumbles while massaging his temple._

_Val blinks in surprise. “Wow. Do you think he’s okay? He’s never really been sober for this long right?”_

__“I think this is the longest he’s ever been sober in the past 24 years combined,” Katniss responds, bewildered as well._ _

_The two stand there awkwardly as Effie follows Haymitch’s lead, waving goodnight before cheerfully humming as she walks off to the hallway on their right._

_“I guess we should go to bed now?” Val suggests._

_“I guess so...” Katniss responds with a shrug._

_They continue to stand there, not knowing whether they should split up and head down different halls or do something else._

_“Hey, can I stay in your room?” Katniss asks, breaking the awkward silence after a few moments._

_“Sure.”_

_Then the siblings march off to the hallway on their left where they enter the room labeled with Val’s name. After exploring the room and adjacent bathroom, they each take turns trying the way too advanced shower while fiddling around with a remote that can apparently change the windows to show and play audio of different environments._

_They both decide to change it to the forest setting despite the ensuing heartache and quickly change into the sleeping garments offered in the dresser. Both slip under the covers to cuddle together like they would back home with a large pillow substituting for Prim. It’s not a perfect set up and the soft mattress, squishy pillow, and silk sheets prevent them from feeling truly comfortable enough to sleep. Eventually, the events of the day crash down on them enough for them to finally fall asleep._

“I guess I’ll head to my room and get ready?” Katniss says, hesitantly. She clearly doesn’t want to face the challenges of today but they both know there’s no other choice.

Val grunts in affirmation as he rolls off the bed and onto the floor with a soft thud. He yawns as he stretches out like a cat on the soft carpeting. Katniss snickers in amusem as she gets off the bed.

“I’ll see you at breakfast then,” she says as she walks to the door.

Val voices his acknowledgment while slowly rising from the floor as Katniss closes the door behind her. With another jaw cracking yawn, he slowly pads over to the attached bathroom. He stretches out his arms again as he stares blearily at the sink with its too many knobs and no labels or signs to indicate what each one does.

He rubs at his eyes while blindly reaching for a knob near the middle to the right that he thinks is for cold water. Unfortunately, it was not. A spray of rose scented perfume is released in his face making him shout out in surprise. He guards his face from the spray with one hand while frantically using the other to turn the knob off. The spray stops as he coughs, waving the perfume away and rapidly blinking as his eyes sting from the sudden assault. 

Once the perfume finally disperses, Val cautiously turns the knob just to the right of the perfume knob. Luckily, cold water rushes out of the facet and he gratefully splashes his face to wash the perfume off but not after glaring at the offending knob for a solid minute.

After toweling off the water with the softest towel he will probably ever get to use, Val steps out of the bathroom and heads straight for the dresser. Opening the drawers, he decides on a dark blue button up shirt and a pair of black slacks which were sadly, the only of a few non-extravagant options provided. He slowly buttons up the shirt, closing his eyes as he takes in the sounds of the forest scenery that was still displayed on the windows.

It washes over him to the point where he can almost smell the fresh dirt and crisp air of the District 12 forests. For the second time that morning, he can almost believe it’s all just been a bad dream and that he’s still back home, hunting as he always would in the morning like this.

However, the illusion is once again broken not by the obnoxious knocking of Effie but by a surge of anger that wells up inside him. First it’s anger from being forced into a situation like this even though he knows he voluntarily chose to enter it. Then it becomes anger from the fact that the Reaping had occurred the way it did that it would force him to step in and protect his sister. Then for the briefest moment, it becomes anger at the fact that he has to protect his sister, that he couldn’t have just let Katniss and Peeta go, let the chips fall where they may, continue on with his life like he’d planned to when he realized he actually could live to be 18. Then the anger quickly switches to the guilt that he had lived. That he had survived a tragedy that took his family and even though his dad made him promise to live and survive, deep down in the darkest corner of his heart, he still wished he had died with his family that day. If he had, then maybe none of this would’ve happened. Maybe Katniss wouldn’t have been reaped and maybe the Everdeen’s would’ve still been the loving (whole) family they had been before he arrived. 

Then just as quickly, the anger and guilt turned to shame. Shame that he would waste his family’s sacrifice by wishing he had died with them. Shame that he blamed the Everdeen patriarch for giving him another chance and shame for blaming Katniss and Peeta for something that was beyond their control.

Val slaps his hands over his cheeks. “No. Now is not the time for anger or shame,” he states as he shakes the heavy and unnecessary thoughts out of his head. He quickly grabs the remote to switch off the scenery display and leaves without a second glance. It’s the first day of the three day training period and he needs to get his head into the game if he’s going to be able to save his stubborn sister from herself.

As Val steps into the dining area, he pauses when he sees a red-headed girl standing nearby where Effie sat at the dining table. The girl wears a long red dress with red slippers and red makeup on her face. Her eyes are downcast and she doesn’t speak, her lips pressed into a thin line as if to hold her tongue. Which she wouldn’t have he realized. Because she’s an avox, a traitor or deserter who was caught and then sentenced to a life of servitude after having their tongue cut out so as to not speak of any of secrets they may know.

The girl looks up and a flicker of recognition crosses her eyes when she sees him. He startles because he too recognizes her. She was part of a duo that was fleeing through the forest from a Capitol patrol while he and Gale were out hunting. He distinctly remembered how Gale had pulled him under some nearby brush so as to not get caught as well. How a harpoon was shot and had killed the boy before a net dropped on the girl and dragged her and the boy’s dead body up to the sky. 

Gale held him back when he saw the girl look straight at them and reach out for help. He knew that Gale knew he would’ve tried to and then they both would’ve gotten caught as well considering it was still technically illegal to be out in the woods no matter how lax the District 12 Peacekeepers were. He remembered how guilty he felt at not being able to help but also how relieved he was that Katniss had decided to stay with Prim earlier that day.

The girl drops her gaze back to the floor. Val wants to say something but he can’t. No one is ever supposed to talk to an avox unless it’s to give an order and they’re especially not supposed to let anyone know they know one. So Val swallows the words he wishes he could say and goes to join everyone at the table. 

Katniss and Haymitch both watch him with calculated looks. They clearly saw how rattled he was about the avox but both wisely chose not to say anything. Effie didn’t even notice at all as she continued to prattle on about some fashion trends that had started because of their performance last night that Val could give zero shits about and clearly the same could be said of everyone else at the table.

Breakfast is quiet or as quiet as it can be with Effie’s nonsensical chatter filtering through the air as background noise that one cannot hope to turn off and can only wait for the battery to run out. Val chews his way through a bowl of fresh fruit and some slices of bread with jam spread over. Katniss munches away at some bacon, eggs, and potatoes, occasionally washing it down with freshly squeezed orange juice. Haymitch just sips some pomegranate juice as he glares at a tray of alcohol sitting nearby as if it’s mere existence is an attack on his person.

Eventually, Haymitch notices how the siblings have almost finished eating and sets his juice down with a loud clink. The sound draws everyone’s attention to him and even gets Effie to stop her yammering.

“Effie,” Haymitch says to draw her attention to him, “Do be a dear and go on ahead to the lounges. Get a head start on buttering up those sponsors while I give my best mentor speech.”

Effie’s pink eyebrows rise high into her puffed up cotton candy pink hair. Her light purple lips are shaped in a perfect circle as she gapes in shock at the fact that _Haymitch_ is finally taking his mentorship duties seriously.

He groans in annoyance. “Well don’t just stand there woman. Go. Shoo. Be a useful cream puff for once,” he says flippantly as he flaps a hand at her to get a move on.

Effie huffs indignantly at him but nonetheless follows his suggestion. She stands up all prim and proper while gesturing at the red-haired avox to take her dishes away.

“I’ll see you darlings later tonight,” she says as she walks over to air kiss Katniss and Val’s cheeks. “Have fun at training! And may the odds-”

“Be ever in their favor. Yeah, yeah, we get it. Just go already,” Haymitch bites out.

Effie puffs up at that but refuses to start a confrontation as it would be unseemly of her. She lifts her nose up into the air and walks out of the penthouse like a runway model. Once the sound of the front door closing is heard, Haymitch returns his attention to the siblings who sit there looking at him apprehensively due to the serious expression on his face.

“Alright kiddos, it’s the first day of training period and we’re gonna need a game plan,” he says as he leans back in his chair. “Let’s start off with something basic. What are your skills, your talents? Any strengths I need to know about? Weaknesses? Don’t be shy and tell me everything cause if you wanna have the best chance at surviving, you need to be straight with me. No lies and no sugar coating.”

The siblings nod solemnly in agreement. Val’s mind races a mile a minute as he tries to work out how he’s going to be able to promote himself but boost his sister up more so that it’ll be clear that she’s the more valuable tribute to save.

Much to his surprise, Katniss is the first to speak. 

“Well we’re both hunters, skilled with bows and knives, as you well know,” Katniss begins with a smirk. Haymitch merely grunts in response.

“And we’re also handy when it comes to identifying plant life, especially herbs used for healing cause our mom runs an apothecary and our little sister always makes sure we’re up to date with our knowledge.”

Val nods along, glad that she’s at least not trying to boost only one person up because they came into this as a team, they might as well continue as a team. Though, he will have to find the opportunity to pull Haymitch aside for a chat to increase her odds of survival.

“But my brother is the better survivalist. He managed to live out in the forest by himself for a good six months.”

And he spoke too soon. Val can only stare wide-eyed as Katniss starts going off on all of his achievements and talents, no longer including her own.

“He learned how to use a bow all on his own after only watching our dad teach me a single lesson. He even memorized the entire book of herbs and edible plants we had in no time at all which of course, helped him to survive in the months before the winter we adopted him,” Katniss proudly boasted. Haymitch nods along, thoughtfully.

Well this won’t do. Val has to stop this before it goes too far.

“That may be true, but I’m not the one who was the first to start shooting every prey with a clean shot through the eye. That was you after only a month of formal training from dad,” Val points out to counter her boasting with his own. “And let’s not forget that time you managed to track, scare, and kill a bear three years ago in the fall. The entire Seam ate better in that one week than that entire year.”

Katniss scowls something fierce at him. She crosses her arms, her entire posture confrontational. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asks.

Val matches her scowl and crossed arms with his own scowl and crossed arms. “What am I doing? What are you doing?” he asks, annoyed and on the verge of pissed off. “Why are you trying to say I’m better than you cause I’m clearly not.”

“So I can’t talk about how much better my big brother is at everything? Because you are. Hell, you’re even better at talking and all that emotion crap than I ever could be. You and Prim literally had to shove me at Peeta because I sure as hell would’ve never done anything about that. Just stewed in my anger and jadedness for the rest of my life,” she says, tone dripping with cynicism. 

“No, you wouldn’t have because you are the most determined and passionate person I’ve ever known in my life and trust me, I know a lot of determined and passionate people,” Val counters, mind traveling back to the citizens of District 2 he’d known once upon a time. “You carry a fire in you that no one can ever look away from and when you add Peeta to the mix, you guys are like the sun. That’s why life got so much brighter when you together finally got together.”

“Well if I’m the fire and together with Peeta, we’re the sun, then you are like the sky. All-encompassing and willing to take in everyone under your wing. Accepting who they are and helping them to become a better person. Because let’s be real here, if you hadn’t come into our lives, none of us would be striving to become the better person you believe we can be.”

At that, Val is unable to counter her words. Because he’s speechless. He never thought of his actions before and they now race through his head. How he would always try to spare portions of their hunts for the citizens of the Seam who need it the most. How he always tried to talk with the downtrodden in an attempt to lift their spirits, so that they can fight to live another day, to live and see a brighter future that they themselves have to make. 

He didn’t think he was trying to get people to be better versions of themselves. He just wanted them to learn to live again. Because he learned the hard way that life was too short to be giving into the oppression of the Capitol like it was the only way to live.

Katniss smiles bitterly at his silence. She turns to Haymitch with a serious expression that held an undertone of fond exasperation. “He really has no idea,” she says, “The effect he can have.”

After that, a heavy silence descends in the room. Katniss crosses her arms and turns her head to the side, glaring at a wall. Val watches her with a lost expression, clearly at a loss for the first time in a long while. Haymitch sighs and palms at his face when it’s clear that Katniss is done talking and Val is still too speechless to say anything more. He’d really like a drink but first, he’s gotta fix this mess before the game plan that was still half-formed in his mind exploded fantastically in his face.

“Alright, alright. Enough of the pissing contest, you’re both pretty,” he says, voice dripping with sarcasm that has Katniss snorting and Val trying to hide a small smile that formed on his face. Ha! He’s still got it even after all those years being a drunk asshat. But now’s not the time for jokes, it’s time to get down to business.

“From what I hear, you both have a lot of talents when it comes to hunting and basic survival. That’s good for when you’re in the arena, but terrible when you’re training,” he says as the siblings simultaneously tilt their heads in confusion. “The next three days are vital not in what skills you can learn, but for the information you can gather on your fellow tributes. I still highly recommend that you learn new skills like I don’t know, camouflage, making a fire, hell, while don’t you try learning how to fight with a spear or an axe. But you need to limit yourself and steer clear of any and all stations that show your extensive knowledge and capabilities. Understand?”

They nod, expressions solemn. Haymitch nods back.

“Good. And while you’re doing all that, you need to pay attention to each tribute. What skills do they excel at, which ones are they working on or trying to improve. Have they started making alliances? Or are they just lone wolfing it? Also, I don’t think I have to tell you but make sure you steer clear of the Careers right? Right. Keep an eye on them and never, never engage no matter what they do, am I clear?”

He directs the clear warning in Katniss’ direction who points to herself while trying to look all innocent and doe-like. “Alright you can go now and don’t forget, united front, all the time every time all through the day capiche?” he says as he rolls his eyes and waves them off. Katniss and Val voice their agreements and take the cue to get up from their seats.

Katniss heads towards the door first and as she passes by, Haymitch mutters, “See if I ever try to help you guys again.” She sticks her tongue out in his directions and exits through the door. Val slowly follows until he’s walking near the avox who’s now standing nearby the door with a tray of water.

“I’m sorry for not being able to help that day,” he whispers softly, “I’m so sorry that I condemned you to a life of silence and servitude because of my inaction. And I’m so, so sorry for not being of any help even now.”

The avox is visibly surprised at his apology. Her eyes grow wet and become glassy. For a second, Val thinks she’s going to burst into tears. Instead she shakes her head and gives him a small smile as if she’s saying she’s forgiven him for what happened back then. But all that does is just make him feel more guilty, a heavy weight settling in his stomach. He nods in response and exits the penthouse. 

Val laughs when Katniss jumps in surprise beside him. “What? Can’t handle the heat once it’s real? Thought you were the girl on fire, lil sis?”

Katniss scowls at him as he laughs. “Oh that’s cute. That’s really cute,” she snaps as she glares at the pile of twigs on the ground of the station they were at. It’s currently smoking but still no fire. She tries again for a spark or at least something other than a frankly pathetic amount of smoke coming from the pile. She fails again and growls at the twigs like it personally offended her by not catching fire.

Val quickly intervenes, trying to stem his laughter as he pulls her away from the station. “Come on, let’s got try a different station. And hey, chances are we won’t even have to worry about fire in the arena, like that one arena that flooded or the other that was just a desert.”

“Yeah I guess,” she responds, tone reluctant as she lets Val drag her to another station with some trees and rocks. They both pointedly ignore the looks that all the other tributes in the room give as they walk up to the table in the middle of the station where there are a bunch of bowls full of various materials in it. It seems that the station is for camouflage.

They listen to the assigned trainer point out the materials in each bowl - leaves, mud, gravel, bark, sand, water, etc - that can be used to allow them to blend into the environment around them. After a brief introduction to the tools they can use or make, the trainer leaves them to go help the two tributes from 8 who had just arrived. Savannah and Lee, while both trying to put up the same united front as Katniss and Val, were definitely trying to hide what they were doing from the other. Savannah has her back turned to Lee as she examines the different examples of brush covering while Lee discreetly paints an arm with red mud, using some bowls as cover.

Katniss and Val take note of their interactions as the two huddle closer together, painting each other’s arms with grey and dark brown mud to imitate the bark of one of the display tress.

“Guess not everyone can have the same unity as us,” Katniss whispers to him as she paints a long strip of dark mud down his forearm.

Val rolls his eyes. “Well not everyone grew up with each other or are siblings like we are.” He chances a glance at the two from 8. “But I’ll give them points for effort. It’s a hell of a lot better than what the rest of the tributes are doing.”

The two turn their heads to look over their shoulders at the rest of the tributes. 

The tributes from 1, 2, and 3 are all gathered around the weapons rack trying to look all intimidating on the other side of the training center. Kai and Marvel are rough housing with each other as they toss spears at dummies while Glimmer practically drools at their bulging biceps. Noah tries to get involved albeit reluctantly and Amber tries to make small talk with a very uninterested Clove who’s lazily throwing knives at a lone target already full of them. 

Azora, Tamora, Sienna, and Demetria seem to have struck up a tentative alliance given how the four girls were working together in the spear work station, trying to find ways to one up the other. 

Dean, Jason, Wallace, and Timmer seem to have done the same as they spar against each other and shout insults while trying to inflict injuries at the sword work station. 

Three of the younger tributes, Sebastian, Craigh, and Susan, find solace and comfort with one another, standing close together as a trainer teaches them different trapping methods. 

Thresh is pumping heavy weights in a corner as he keeps a close eye on his fellow tribute, Rue, as she climbs nets and jumps across ropes like a squirrel on a tree. 

Finch is the only tribute actually lone wolfing it as she speeds through a floral identification simulator with a single-minded focus.

The siblings turn back to face each other, a silent agreement to speak of their observations later passes between them. They both turn back to their arms that definitely do not look anything like tree bark but could pass for a mud slide if they ever came across one.

“Well it looks like we’re not going to be winning art awards anytime soon,” Val says, attempting to joke with his teasing tone that kind of falls flat. 

Katniss still appreciates the effort though. “Yeah. Peeta would be so much better at this crap cause he can actually paint, or at least something close to it. Remember all those amazing decorations he’s done for the cakes and cookies? It always makes me sad when I have to eat them cause they look too good to just disappear into my stomach,” she says with a fond smile.

“He’s definitely an artist when it comes to those deserts. You can barely draw a stick figure and I’ve got two left hands!” Val jokes as he holds up his hands with his right hand turned so the thumb points the same direction as the left hand.

Katniss gasps dramatically, expression mockingly offended. “How dare you! I’ll have you know that my stick figures are the best stick figures that have ever been drawn in the history of stick figures.” 

“Whatever you say sis. That one art class we had to take in school begs to differ,” he says with an indifferent shrug that turns into a laugh when Katniss starts smacking his arm with her muddied brush. The other tributes all stare again at their blatant display of sibling bonding. 

Val slaps the brush away as he grabs a towel to wipe the mud off his arm and shirt. He tilts his head in the direction of the water and foraging stations. “You up for a refresher? Maybe we’ll even learn something new? Who knows.”

Katniss nods and follows his example in cleaning her arm off. “Definitely. We’ve been kinda spoiled by the meadow’s lake in my opinion. All we gotta do is boil and we’re all set.”

Val barks out a laugh as the siblings finish cleaning up. They head off to the water and foraging stations, the stares of the other tributes weighing heavily on their shoulders as they try to keep up their playful banter.

The mess hall is a cacophony of sounds from the movement of dishes, cutlery, and tributes. Not much talking is happening though. The only source of those sounds are from the Careers as they laugh and shout and are just generally being loud and rowdy as if the amount of noise they make correlates to their intimidation factor.

All the other tributes with tentative alliances sit far apart from each other, even at separate tables if they’re able to do. 

Finch somehow manages to keep a wide radius of distance between herself and the rest. 

The two from 8 sit at the same table but on opposite sides and corners. 

Sebastian, Susan, and Craigh all sit at the same table but do not engage in any small talk, following the example of their older fellow tributes. However, the expressions on their young faces and constant fidgeting show they’d rather be doing otherwise. 

Thresh and Rue are the only ones beside Val and Katniss who sit at the same table within close proximity. Rue is happily chattering at Thresh who indulges her by listening with a gentle expression on his face.

Val has to physically move his gaze away from the sight of Rue’s bright smile and Thresh’s indulgent one before he does something utterly embarrassing like burst into tears. Instead he focuses his attention on his sister who’s barely eating her food, just pushing around a piece of meat across the metal tray.

“So...” he starts, dragging out the word in order to draw her attention back to him. “I guess the only tributes we really have to worry about are the Careers yeah? Especially the guys with all their testosterone.”

Katniss snorts, her expression amused though her eyes convey how grateful she is for the distraction. “Yeah, sure. But I think our real threat is fox face.”

“Who?” he asks, brow furrowed in confusion.

“The girl who’s been all lone wolf since the beginning? I didn’t even think it was possibly to isolate yourself like that but guess it shows what I know,” she responds with a shrug.

Val pulls a face at Katniss, unamused by her nickname for the tribute. “Her name is Finch.”

Now Katniss is pulling a face at him. “What the fuck? You actually remember her name?”

“Uh, yeah? Cause she’s a human being with a name and she deserves to be treated as such.”

At that Katniss fondly rolls her eyes at him. “Same old Val. Always trying to get to know everyone, remember everyone’s name, and get into everyone’s business,” she teases, “You’re always trying to be everyone’s friend but really it’s just the easiest way to stick your nose into everyone’s business.”

“Oh please, if I wasn’t good at reading people and their emotions then you never would’ve had a chance with Peeta,” he retorts with no real heat behind his words, “You would’ve just hated the poor boy for all eternity instead of indulging in whatever sickening couple stuff you do whenever I’m not around.”

“Um, excuse you. You were not good at reading people back then at all. It was only cause Peeta was a little kid who was so love struck that even Prim noticed,” she huffs back.

Val smiles. Gotcha. “Oh! So you are admitting to the fact that you are completely incapable of reading even the emotions of an 8 year old kid who might as well have been wearing a glowing neon saying “I love Katniss Everdeen” then?”

Katniss tsks at that. He laughs as she pouts at having been caught by another mind game. “Well at least I managed to make the first move as soon as I realized I liked him in return. How long did it take you and Gale to get your heads out of your asses,” she shoots back. Then she pauses as if to sift through memories. “Oh right! It took 5 years and a Reaping,” she deadpans before smirking, “How does it feel to be out relationshipped by a 12 year old?”

Val scowls at that and Katniss laughs in response. “Doesn’t feel so good to be on the other end does it?”

He rolls his eyes and just starts shoveling food into his mouth, entirely done with the conversation as she continues to snicker at him. Then her expression turns serious and he swallows the food in his mouth before he has to have another serious conversation cause like, seriously? It’s what, the fourth or fifth one he’s had in two days? He doesn’t know how many more of these he can take before he actually starts to sob uncontrollably.

“You know the risks right? Treating the other tributes like they’re human beings when you know they’ll try to kill when they get the chance,” she says, her tone dead serious.

“Well yeah, only cause they’re trying to survive. Just like us. That’s part of what makes us human.”

Katniss raises a skeptical eyebrow to that. “Wasn’t it you who told me that everyone who enters the arena ends up losing at least part of or all of their humanity in order to survive? That they throw something precious away because that could mean the difference between living to see the next day or dying in a ditch like a dog?”

Val sighs because he had said something to that effect but...“That still doesn’t mean they weren’t human beings. Yes, they may have thrown something away and allowed themselves to act on baser impulses to survive but that doesn’t mean they’re animals. They’re people, hell they’re kids and teens, just like us, who were placed in an impossible situation for entertainment and propaganda. The least I can do is allow them some dignity in return.”

She huffs and crosses her arms. “Whatever, it’s your funeral. I just hope your risk is worth it.”

“It’ll have to be,” he says with another sigh as the two siblings look around the mess hall, giving all the tributes another glance. 

All the Careers’ enthusiasm, except Kai’s, seems more strained and fake, like they’re putting on a brave face or a show. 

The other teen tributes seemed pressed down by an invisible weight, shoulders slumped and expressions hopeless. 

The three kid tributes seem as if they’re trying to keep the entire situation from fully settling in, otherwise, they might start crying right then and there. 

Thresh looks more resigned than stoic and Rue’s happy chatter has a desperate undertone to it. 

Finch seems to be the only one with any positive emotion. Determination shining brightly in her eyes. 

Now his appetite is completely gone. Val gathers his tray and utensils before getting up. Katniss follows his example and the two go to drop their trays off before leaving the mess hall. The stares once again burning into their turned backs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…yeah. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and weren’t as dissatisfied by it as I was and that it wasn’t as talky talky for you either. I’m still trying to get into a grove with my literature writing and trying to not let the screenwriting bleed in cause you know in screenwriting it’s more words than action and with literature it’s more details for EVERYTHING. 
> 
> So…yeah. Man, I’ve been saying that a lot. But yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Feel free to leave a comment because its validation and I will gladly and shamelessly ask for it cause it makes me all warm and fuzzy. To the next chapter!


	13. The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of Training - Things are starting to heat up and unexpected (but kind of somewhat expected) alliance is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Surprise! Double update! Well, the original plan was to do a triple update a couple weeks ago but that plan kinda got shot up to hell when the previous chapter refused to be written in the way I wanted it to be and then I was scrambling to play catch up with this chapter and the next. I hope you guys enjoy it though! I tried to spend as much time as I could editing it to the best of my abilities while still updating in a timely fashion.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Val grunts as he blocks another blow from the hologram fighter with his sword. How something that could literally fall apart with a good poke have such solid power behind its blows, he’ll never know. 

Guess Capitol technology is amazing like that. Or maybe it’s just the technology provided for the Games. Which makes sense considering the amount of money that must be put into them every year. Hell, none of the arenas are even reused. Instead they become glorified museums for Capitol citizens to tour at their leisure.

He’s decidedly shaken out of his thoughts when the hologram manages to twist the sword out of his hands and knock him onto his back with a quick jab from it’s sword pommel. The hologram disappears as he tries to blink the stars out of his eyes. Once his vision clears, he slowly gets up with a groan as he rolls his shoulders and stretches his back. Even with all the lessons and drills before lunch break, he still could not for the life of him get used to using a weapon that wasn’t a bow or a knife. 

Then he glances over at the neighboring station where his sister is currently beating the crap out of her hologram opponent by repeatedly whacking it with both ends of the spear she’s holding. Finally, she lands a sharp jab into the hologram’s gut. It shatters apart and the pieces flicker to nothingness.

Val whistles at that, impressed. Katniss looks over and grins as she wipes the sweat off her forehead. He tilts his head over to the hand to hand combat station and she gives a sharp nod. She tosses the spear back to the trainer standing nearby looking fairly impressed by her show of skills. Val moves out of the station, handing the sword back to the trainer who was decidedly not impressed by his lack of skill. He rolls his eyes as he moves to meet his sister over by the hand to hand station where she’s currently letting the assigned trainer wrap her hands with protective tape. 

“Ready to get your ass kicked to the Seam and back?” she smirks as she clenches her fists to test out the tightness of the tape.

“If you keep talking shit like that, then you better expect to get hit,” he shoots back as his own hands are wrapped.

Katniss grins all feral and cat-like at him in challenge as if saying he’ll never be able to land a hit on her cause he’s too much of a softy to even try. He smirks back, accepting her challenge because if he didn’t, he’d actually get his ass kicked to 12 and back and then never hear the end of it because Katniss is such a sore loser and poor winner.

The two enter the sparring ring and stand six feet apart. They both bring their hands up in a ready position as they slowly circle each other around the ring, eyes calculating and watching each movement, each twitch, each shift with a hyper awareness that’s only ever been reserved for hunting. It’s a match between siblings and unbeknownst to them, everyone stopped what they were doing to watch.

Finally, the standoff is broken when Katniss lunges at Val with her right fist cocked back for a swift punch across the jaw. He ducks and rolls to the side when she follows it up with another swipe from her left fist. Immediately he sweeps his leg around in order to knock her down but she jumps up over it and lunges, knocking him onto his back. She places her arm firmly across his throat to pin his down but he pushes off the ground to roll them over so she’s the one pinned with her back to the ground.

“You know, if people didn’t know we were siblings, this position would be considered very compromising,” Katniss pants out as she struggles to get Val’s limbs off her own.

“Careful there, you don’t know what kind of weird shit the Capitol folk get up to,” Val responds with a very pointed look up to the side where a viewing room is situated above the entire training hall. A few Capitol citizens lounge about in chairs, watching the match with perverted interest in their eyes.

Katniss follows his gaze and groans in disgust. He chuckles a bit in response, locked limbs loosening just enough for Katniss to get the jump on him. She quickly pulls her legs out from under his own and kicks him off her. He lands on his back with a groan, ribs definitely going to be bruised and sore for the rest of the day. She laughs at his pain and moves to help him up. Val takes advantage of her dropped guard and swiftly pulls her down beside him and locks her arm and body with his legs.

“Say Buttercup,” he demands with a shit eating grin.

“Hell no!” Katniss protests as she tries to break his arm lock, her face rapidly turning red from the effort.

He increases the tension of his legs, making Katniss shout out in either pain or frustration. It’s never quite that clear with her. “Say Buttercup.”

She tries to put up another struggle but is rapidly losing the energy to do so. “Buttercup!” she finally shouts out, going limp as Val releases his hold with a laugh.

“I hate you,” Katniss spits out as she pulls herself off the ground.

Val puts his hands up in surrender as he continues to laugh. “Hey, I’m not the one who wanted to start saying Buttercup instead of mercy.”

“You know and I both know why we started that particular trend,” she says as she rolls her eyes and shakes out her limbs.

“Just because the actual cat doesn’t show any mercy doesn’t mean the usage of his name can be considered ironic,” he deadpans. “If anything, it just encourages the person saying it to not show any mercy.”

Katniss pouts at him as the two get into ready fighting stances again. “You have no sense of humor,” she declares as the two siblings start to circle each other again.

“I do have a sense of humor. I just also have a sense of logic and good taste with a bit of tact thrown in for good measure, unlike a certain someone,” he responds pointedly, making her frown.

He grins in response and that’s the trigger that sets her off, she charges at him, much more quickly than the first time. Val moves to dodge again but it seems like Katniss anticipated this. She stops short of her initial assault and ducks down to sweep her leg across, knocking him flat onto his back. She lunges forward for a punch aimed to knock him out, hopefully not for real but when he manages to roll away, there was a distinct smacking sound when her fist meets the mats that has Val wincing in response. 

Katniss grunts in frustration as Val quickly recovers, scrambling up to his feet and narrowly avoiding an uppercut to his chin.

“Woah!” he shouts out as he stumbles back, “Are you trying to actually knock me out or something?”

She sticks her tongue out in response. “Or something,” she snarks as she tries to throw another uppercut, managing to at least glance her fist off his chin this time.

Even though the hit didn’t actually land, the faint impact of the glance has Val stumble back again. He immediately recovers and goes to tackle her, knocking her flat onto her back. But before he can pin her limbs, Katniss swiftly wraps her legs through his leg and around his torso, pulling him into a leg lock that has him shouting out in surprise as he’s pulled down onto his side.

“Say Buttercup!” she shouts with a vicious grin, increasing the pressure and pull of the lock when he tries to wriggle his way out.

“Never!” he declares as he redoubles his efforts to break out of the lock only to have Katniss add a twist in that has him shouting out and slapping the floor in pain.

“Alright! Alright! Buttercup!”

Katniss releases the leg lock with a triumphant laugh. Val just lays there on the floor, face read and panting from exertion and maybe a little bit of pain. He glances over at the viewing area and again and sees that a crowd of Capitol citizens have gathered to watch the two siblings go at each other. If he squinted, he could see one or two with their hands down their pants. He grimaces. Katniss follows his gaze and makes a sound conveying her disgust at what she sees.

“I feel very violated right now, like I need to take a really hot shower and scrub an entire layer of skin off my body,” she says as she looks away and shivers in disgust.

“I hear you,” he responds as he pulls himself up to a seated position, “It’s like we’re animals on display for their... _entertainment_.” He shudders and quickly rubs at his arms as if to wipe the feeling of those stares off.

Katniss springs up and stretches out her limbs with her back turned to the viewing area. She then offers a hand to Val to pull him up and he takes it, standing up with a groan and stretch that has him cracking his back. The two siblings make sure to have their backs turned on the viewing area so as to block it from their field of view.

“You wanna do best two out of three?” Katniss asks, cheekily grinning at him as she slams her right fist into her left palm.

Val groans, back starting to ache just at the thought of another spar with her. “I think I’ll pass.”

“Your loss,” she says with a shrug.

The two walk off the mats and Val smiles encouragingly at Sebastian and Susan as they both walk by towards the trainer. The two young tributes smile back tentatively, their age made more apparent as they nod in appreciation at the gesture. But a quick glance at the disapproving expressions of their respective district partners have them ducking their heads and running off.

Katniss frowns. “Are you still trying to be civil to everyone?” she says disapprovingly, “You know everyone, except me of course, are going to be trying to kill you and you might end up killing them, right?”

Her question is met with silence as Val thoughtfully contemplates his answer. He rubs at the back of his head with a sigh.

“Better to keep my humanity when I kill then to lose it and become the killer everyone expects,” he finally responds. “My humanity and empathy are the two things I will never let the Capitol take from me and I know that’s never really been your thing but you still have them and you shouldn’t let them take it from you too.”

Katniss puts a hand up to her chin, looking down at the floor as she contemplates his words, mind racing a mile a minute as it works to understand the nuances of what he said. Even though he’s always been straightforward with his answers, she’s since found that there’s always another layer to what he’s saying. It makes talking with him about serious subjects a nightmarish headache all the time.

Finally she looks up and meets his gaze head on. “Even though it’ll make the emotional fallout much harder to deal with?” she asks, expression and tone serious.

He nods. “The fact that there will be an emotional fallout will be all the proof you need to know for sure that what makes you human hasn’t been pointlessly taken away by _them_.”

The conversation ends there, abruptly like it always does when things start to turn serious or emotional. Besides...they’ve had enough of these conversations for the past two days. Even though they need to air everything out, it’s in both siblings' nature to delay such serious discussions until time’s out and it can no longer be avoided.

Another reason why they’ve chosen to stop talking is because the Career Pack, consisting of a stoic Marvel, an air-headed Glimmer, a bored but somewhat worried Clove, an eager Noah, and a timid Amber, moves towards them with an arrogant Kai leading the charge with a smirk on his face and a loose posture that just reeks of trouble.

All the other tributes pause what they are doing as they watch the Career Pack march their way across the hall towards Val and Katniss. Val crosses his arms with a frown as Katniss drapes an arm over his shoulder and leans her weight into it to appear nonchalant. 

“What do you want Kai?” Val says as Kai stops just a few inches short before the two siblings. The rest of the Careers hang back behind them though Clove’s scowl gives away hints at what this is all about.

“Bold of you to assume I was coming over here for you, Everdeen” Kai arrogantly remarks as his gaze moves to Katniss and his eyes rove over her body. 

“Well that answers that question,” Katniss says as the siblings frown in unison though she’s the one who looks a step away from knocking Kai’s daylights out.

Kai tries to sidle up over to Katniss but is blocked by Val who shifts so that she’s more behind his back than by his side. Kai scowls but doesn’t let that deter him as he in turn shifts so he’s still face to face with Katniss. 

“Now that you’re done playing around with the rabble here,” Kai says while gesturing at Val with a smirk, “How about you be a dear and join me so we can have some real fun?”

Katniss narrows her eyes at Kai as she steps forward from behind Val. Val looks to her, ready to protest, but stops when he sees the look on her face. It’s her “time to screw with someone who obviously deserves it” look combined with her “shit’s about to go down” facial expression. He grows weary as the smile on her face grins wider with each step she takes towards Kai.

“Fun you say?” Katniss asks as she slides over to Kai who looks to Val with a triumphant smirk. Val doesn’t bother to look at him, instead focusing his attention on Katniss and wondering how the hell he was going to get them out of the mess she’ll inevitably make.

“I’d love to have some fun,” she says, practically purring as she places a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “My older brother is so dreadfully boring but that’s just like older siblings I guess.”

She leans so that her breath tickles Kai’s ear. “However, I must confess one thing,” she whispers loud enough for the Careers and Val to hear. Val palms at his face as he realizes the direction she’s heading. Clove smirks as she also clues into Katniss’ antics while Glimmer simmers with jealousy. 

“And what’s that?” Kai asks, tilting his head towards hers, smirk still firmly in place.

“I’m straight so I don’t date or want to have any fun with _girls_ ,” she declares rather loudly as she steps away from Kai with a smirk. At first, everyone is confused except Val who groans into his hands. Then the meaning of her words start to slowly register, startling a laugh out of the Careers who immediately cover their mouths except for Clove who’s just losing it. 

“I don’t get it,” Glimmer, the only Career who hadn’t laughed, says as she tilts her head in confusion. 

Meanwhile, the meaning finally registers to Kai and he grows red with anger. He cocks his fist back, ready to take a swing at Katniss. Val makes a noise of warning but it’s completely unneeded as Katniss immediately swings her leg until her foot meets Kai’s crotch, hard. Kai goes down like a rock as every male in the training hall winces in sympathy.

Katniss looks down at Kai with an unimpressed look. “Huh. I guess you really are a guy. Oh well,” she says with a shrug as she practically bounces back to Val’s side. 

“Was that really necessary?” he asks her, completely exasperated. “You know he’s just going to go after me now right?” 

She just shrugs in response and pats him on the back in mocking encouragement. “ You’re a big boy. You can deal with it.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to,” he huffs out with a pout that has Katniss cooing at him. 

Kai struggles to get back up, slowly standing with his hand holding his delicate parts. He waves off Glimmer’s attempts to help as he glares right at the siblings putting them on high alert for a confrontation. 

“I’m gonna get you for this Everdeen,” Kai spits out in a strangled, high pitched voice.

“Again! Which one? Clarity is key in communication, pal. Probably why your luck with girls sucks ass,” Katniss snarks as Kai limps away like a wounded animal with the Career Pack following close by. Though Clove lingers behind a bit to wink and give a thumbs up before running back to join them.

Once the Careers are no longer within shouting distance, the two Everdeens break down in laughter. 

“Did you see his face?” Katniss manages to force out through her laughter. She’s completely lost it as she slaps her leg and doubles over, sides aching. “I’m gonna get you for this Everdeen,” she says in a mockingly deep voice.

Val wheezes as he tries to regain his composure but loses it again at Katniss’ impression of Kai. Finally after his own sides start to ache from laughter, the hysteria dies down. He takes in a few deep breaths as Katniss fans her face with her hand to calm herself down.

“Man, I really needed that,” Val says once he manages to catch his breath.

“You mean the confrontation with your neanderthal rival or the hysterical laughter in the middle of a training hall of death?” she asks with a smirk.

Val gives her a pointed look that has her snorting and slapping his back. “You’re such a poor sport, Val.”

“Well I’m not the one who’s pulling out big words outta nowhere or continually drawing attention to the fact of where we are and why we’re here,” he deadpans.

Katniss sticks her tongue out at him and he attempts to swat at her for her bratiness. She dodges and the two enter a strange game of tag where Val tries to swat Katniss while she dances circles around him, laughing all the while. The game abruptly ends when a commotion sounds near the knife station. The siblings stop and turn to look over and see Kai shoving at Wallace who’s trying to fold into himself as if to make himself a smaller target while also sending desperate glances at Savannah for help. Savannah turns away, guilt clear on her face as she continues what she’s doing in the fire starting station.

“Where’s my knife!” Kai snarls out as he gives a particularly hard shove that knocks Wallace onto the floor where he immediately scrambles away as Kai advances after him.

Kai’s warpath is only stopped by Clove who stands in his way with a hand up and an exasperated expression. “There are literally hundreds of knives right there Kai,” she says as she points at a rack that indeed holds hundreds of knives of all various shapes and sizes. “You don’t need a specific one.”

Kai moves to protest but stops when she narrows her eyes into a glare. “Don’t cause a scene Kai or do, I don’t care,” she grits out, “Just remember that they’re always watching and right know, you’re giving all the Careers a bad name.”

She looks pointedly to the viewing area where the Capitol citizens look down at the two Careers, scoffing or holding their noses up to them. Kai backs down with a scowl. He looks at Wallace who flinches as he finally pulls himself up off the floor. Kai viciously points at him before dragging his thumb across his neck. Wallace trembles as Kai storms away with Clove following without so much as a backwards glance at the poor tribute who looks a step away from passing out from pure fear.

“Well someone’s a sore loser,” Katniss dryly comments. 

Val rolls his eyes at her comment and manages to catch sight of a figure on the portion of the rope climbing station set above the knife station. He turns his attention to this figure and realizes it’s Rue, little Rue who reminds him too much of Prim, who’s smiling widely down at the irritated Kai while playing with a knife. It hit him then that Rue was the one who took “Kai’s” knife to mess with him.

He nudges Katniss, drawing her attention to Rue who’s now looking over at them. She gives a little wave and shy smile that prompts the siblings to give a little wave and smile in response. Rue blushes brightly at the attention and scrambles across the ropes much to their amusement. 

The brief non-encounter with Rue still sits on their mind when they exit the locker rooms at the end of the training day and are immediately accosted by Thresh who stands like a large statue by the male locker room door with Rue peeking behind his large form like a little shadow.

Val looks to Katniss in confusion. She shrugs, also confused as to what the District 11 tributes could possibly want with them.

“Do you guys need something?” Val asks warily and very conscious of Thresh’s rather large muscles which were straining against his shirt. Even though killing outside the Games was made forbidden after a few Careers tried to get an advantage by whittling down the numbers back in the 3rds Games, that doesn’t stop the intimidation he feels as Thresh towers before them.

Thresh frowns, crossing his arms which only serves to make Val and Katniss take a wide step back in caution. Behind him, Rue frowns in disapproval and nudges his leg forward. He in turn frowns down at her drawing out a pout in response. She nudges him forward again and his face turns into an odd amalgamation of exasperation, regret, and frustration. It mystifies the siblings as their wariness and caution turns into confusion.

Thresh clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable and out of his element. Rue nods encouragingly at him when he glances down at her. He sighs and says, “Rue would-”

Rue slaps his leg, interrupting him with a pointed look. He groans. “Rue and I would like to start an…alliance with you two.”

“Excuse me? Do you mind repeating that?” Katniss gapes in shock.

Val blinks in surprise. “I’m not going deaf right? Cause I could’ve sworn you just offered to start an alliance between our two Districts.”

“That’s exactly what I said,” Thresh spits out behind gritted teeth. Rue nods frantically at the two siblings, looking up at them with wide eyes that again, reminds them painfully of Prim.

“I’ve been watching you guys ever since the Opening Ceremony and after what I saw from training today, I know you guys are nice people. I’d like to be around nice people when I’m in the arena,” Rue explains softly, she scuffs her foot against the floor shyly. “And I’d like to be around nice people when I...you know,” she says with a tilt of her head.

And it just breaks Val’s heart. The fact that Rue knows she probably doesn’t have much of a chance at surviving no matter how much she might want to. How she’s already accepted her death and wants to control the circumstances of it. To be surrounded by people who would treat her with care and respect as she fought for her life or lay there dying. 

It also makes him angry. So angry that children, just little kids who should be out playing and laughing and being kids, like Rue have to grow up and accept the reality of their situations in a matter of days all for the entertainment of the mindless drones of the Capitol and sadistic glee of the government once again forcing its people to heel.

“And what about you?” Katniss asks Thresh, her tone and posture highly skeptical.

He grunts. “I’m only doing this for Rue. The only contribution I’ll have to this alliance is to not come after either of you and to protect her. Give her the best chance possible.”

Katniss nods, an understanding passes between her and Thresh. Then she glances over to Val who also nods. He agrees to this alliance because to not would mean they agree in condemning a young girl to a death of cruelty and solitude. Even back in the Seam, where they were so used to children dying from all manner of causes that funerals were just another monthly occurrence, the Everdeens would always do whatever they could to help them survive. And if they were too little, too late, they would do whatever they could to help ease their suffering and make sure they were loved as they passed.

She holds out a hand for Thresh to shake. “Alright then. Allies?”

Thresh grabs her hand for a firm shake. “Allies.”

The two break the shake and Thresh immediately turns tail and departs, walking quickly to the elevators. Rue takes a moment to smile and wave. “Thank you!” she shouts back to them as she rushes to follow after Thresh.

Val smiles and waves back but his tongue sits heavy in his mouth. 

Dinner was a heavy affair. The mood at the table somber and depressing. Effie was once again going off with her non-stop chattering that has since become background noise that no one really paid much attention to. 

Haymitch at least had enough tact and sense to not ask about the cause of the mood. The only words he offered were ones to keep up their united front and to not give into the intimidation of the Careers. He even gave them permission to shake things up and even show up a little bit to throw the Careers off their game. But only a little bit. Too much and then they would be considered a higher threat level by all the tributes, not just the Careers. When Katniss mentioned the alliance, Haymitch only grunted in response.

Though Val knew that he and Katniss were doing the morally right thing by agreeing to this alliance, it doesn’t mean the silver lining wasn’t soured by the alliance’s circumstances. Only when Katniss had excused herself from the table before desert and the mood dropped even more, did Val excuse himself as well and escape up to the rooftop for air.

The first thing he notices as he steps out through the doorway is the wind. It whistles through the air and rustles everything in its path. The second thing he notices is the view. A large sprawling landscape of silver buildings of all shapes and sizes crowding together. Lights of various colors twinkle throughout the city like a metallic version of the night sky. It’s all bracketed by the various small flower gardens and trees that are placed in an aesthetically pleasing fashion across the rooftop. The third thing he notices is not something that happens to catch his attention. It’s something that forces his attention on it by grabbing him by the shoulders and shouting, rather loudly, “Boo!”

Val will never admit to the rather high pitched screech he gave out as he jumped in fright and fell ungracefully onto his ass. He groans as he rubs at his sore bum and turns to glare at the source of the scare. It’s Clove, who’s doubled over and close to tears from laughing. 

“Hey Cato!” she greets him cheerfully in between her laughs.

He grumbles as he gets up, indignantly wiping off any dirt and dust off his pants. “Holy shit. What is this? Ambush me day?”

Her laughter dies down to chuckles as she wipes the tears out of her eyes. “I’m sorry. What?”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh nothing, nothing. Just ignore what I said.”

“Okay then?” she responds with a shrug as if to say “typical Cato” because as much as Val would like to have her call him Val, he misses being called Cato. It’s his name after all, the one he was born with. And even though he managed to retain it as a middle name, it’s just not the same.

“And don’t call me Cato,” he snaps back, paranoia kicking in as he looks around the rooftop and pales, seeing the security cameras nearby. Clove follows his gaze to the cameras and waves him off.

“Psh. Don’t worry about it,” she says, “Notice how loud the wind is? It’s actually blocking whatever we’re saying from being recorded or overheard. But let's move and put some distance in between.”

Val follows Clove towards the railing where she crosses her arms and leans against it, taking in the view before her. He leans with his back against the railing, not wanting to look out at the Capitol and see the wealth that it’s citizens splurge and waste while the Districts whittle away to nothing on charity scraps. 

“Did you know that they placed a barrier around all the balconies, especially the rooftop, sometime after the 15th Games?” she suddenly asks. He shakes his head when she turns to look at him. “It’s supposed to stop any tributes from making poor decisions from stress.” She smiles wryly and walks over to a nearby tree, breaking a branch off before walking back to the railing. She tosses the branch like she would one of her knives and it soars. Suddenly, the branch hits a barrier that flickers and crackles blue before propelling the branch back. It soars quickly past Clove and lands on the rooftop. The two stare at the once healthy branch now black and smoking.

“Well, it’s good to know they’re looking out for our safety and all,” he deadpans. Clove giggles in response. She resumes her previous position, leaning on the railing with crossed arms. Her expression is wistful for a moment, then it turns serious.

“I think now is a good time and place for that explanation, Cato,” she says.

“It’s Val now,” he says dryly. 

She makes a strangled noise and turns to him with an expression of frustration. “And that’s part of it! Why the hell are you going by Val now? Why were you in District 12? Why do you have a sister now? Why did you never come to me for help back then? Why was your family killed?” she jabs him in the chest with each question, her voice growing louder and more hysterical. “Tell me Cato! Tell me why I had to lose my best friend, my only friend!”

She turns away from him like she can’t stand to look at him anymore. “ _Please_ tell me why the only person I knew I could always count on, who promised he would never abandon me, became just like everyone else who’s ever made me that promise.” 

Val’s speechless. He doesn’t know what to say, what excuses to come up with because he can’t. It’s true. He may have run away in order to save himself as he had promised his dad but in turn he broke the one promise he had always sworn not to. But he knew, deep down, why he didn’t go to her. And he knew that she knew too.

“You know I would never voluntarily leave you or break my promise to you, Clove,” he says, reaching a hand out to her. She flinches at the contact but relaxes when he places a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But I had to leave. I had to live to fight another day. And...I had to protect you.”

She chuckles at that. “How was leaving me behind with _them_ protecting me?” 

Val gently maneuvers her so that she’s now facing him. There’s unshed tears in her eyes and her lips tremble as she struggles to hold them back. “You know why,” he says gently.

“No I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me?” she spits out.

“It’s because I know you would survive,” he says. She scoffs but he continues to speak now that he’s keenly aware of how much his departure hurt her. “You are a survivor, Clove. I knew that if anyone could get you out of that situation, it would be you because you are a fighter. You don’t take shit from no one and you dish it out as two fold on any fool who dares to cross your path.”

“Damn right, I do.”

He smiles at her smirk. “But just because I knew you could fight your way out of that situation, it doesn’t mean you could fight against the Capitol.”

Clove frowns at that. An eyebrow raised as she waits for an explanation. One he hoped to never give because of the possible repercussions but considering they were both tributes in the Game and he sure as hell will not win, he decides to just bite the bullet.

“My dad was a rebel.”

Clove gapes at his words. Her eyes widening in surprise. “Your dad...the most hardcore Victor District 2 has ever seen...was a rebel?” she asks, incredulous. 

He nods. “Yeah. Apparently that was why my mom died.”

“But I thought your mom died from her illness?”

He shakes his head. “She did, but the Capitol helped speed it along...as a warning to my dad to stop his rebel activities. He was still a Victor who played along on a public level so they could never really do anything directly to him. Only indirectly.”

“That’s horrible!” she gasps out, “I knew the Capitol was shady and the worst but to kill your mom like that?”

“I know,” he nods, grimly, “And I guess the warning worked because my dad laid low for a couple years until...”

Realization sparks in her eyes. “Until you were almost of age to be sent to the Academy. And because you’re the child of a Victor, it wouldn’t be socially acceptable for you to not go.”

“Yup. And apparently the Capitol kept getting the District 2 peacekeepers to repeatedly come over to strong arm my dad into getting me sent to the Academy even though he had already submitted that I wouldn’t go. Which-”

“Which probably led them to believe that your dad was still continuing his rebel activities and trying to train you until you were old enough to join,” she finished. Her eyes widening in horror once the train of thought completes itself in her mind. “That’s why they had your family killed, as a last warning to your dad and as an example to any other rebels he may have been in contact with.”

“Mmhm. One the day of my 10th birthday, after I got home and my dad pulled me outside to give me a gift, the Peacekeepers stormed the house and killed everyone before coming out to the back yard. That’s when I learned my dad was a rebel and that my mom was killed because of it,” he explains. He takes out his mom’s pin, thumb running over the Mockingjay design. “Then they gave my dad an ultimatum, my life or the academy.”

“But your dad didn’t want you to go to the academy...did he tell you why?” she asks but he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t know how to because she and everyone else in the Career Districts grew up and lived on the creed that the only way to achieve true glory and honor was through winning the Games.

“Cato?”

He sighs. “It’s nothing personal, Clove but I don’t know if you’ll be able to understand.”

She huffs. “Try me.”

“Alright then,” he says before reluctantly explaining, “We grew up on the idea that winning the Games was the greatest glory that we’ll ever be able to achieve and even if we didn’t, the fact that we were able to participate is enough to have our names was enough to achieve honor for ourselves and our family.”

She nods, indicating she’s following along.

“But my dad told me that no one ever wins in the Games. That the promise of honor and glory is a lie, an exchange with the devil where the price is your humanity. He made me promise to never look at the Games like they were the highest honor I could ever achieve, that they were a show where kids killed each other and died for the entertainment of the Capitol.” He looks at her sadly. “I knew you had to have volunteered because that’s the only acceptable way to become a tribute. No one chosen ever becomes a tribute.”

“So you didn’t know if I would understand what you dad said or that I might even hate you for it.” she concluded.

He nods in confirmation. She frowns and slaps his arm, making him jump in surprise.

“Cato...you know I would never voluntarily be in the Games if I could help it.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because,” she shrugs, “It was the fastest way for me to leave. And if I died? Well then better to have died fighting for “glory” than to have died like an abandoned dog in a ditch.”

“Clove,” he murmurs out, sadly.

She shakes her head. “Nu-uh. None of that moping shit anymore,” she scolds, “I finally got to see you again after all these years and now that you’ve answered my questions, we are done with all the sad and serious shit.”

“Oh thank god,” he says in relief, “I’ve had more serious conversations these past two days than I have ever had in my entire life.”

“Well good! Cause I need to catch up with my best friend and hear about all the misadventures he’s been up to,” she teases.

“You call them misadventures, I call them Clove made disasters,” he shoots back with a grin.

“Oh pish posh, Cato.”

“Pish posh? Really, Clove?”

“Just talk already you jerk.”

Val laughs before launching into a long retelling of the past eight years. He regales her with the tales of Prim’s animal rescues, how Katniss was about to bully her first admirer only to end up becoming friends and then dating him after a literal shove from both him and Prim, about the many hunting treks he had taken in the forest. He describes District 12, how its been divided into Seam, full of the poor and downtrodden but somehow still full of spirit and life, and the Town where those who weren’t poor enough to be in the Seam lived that was full of color and people who were only interested in helping themselves. 

He told her about the forest, painting a vivid picture of the lake and the meadow where he and his family would spend their days happy and free of any burdens even if just for a few hours. He even decided to tell her about Gale to which she started to tease him endlessly about before he retaliated with the knowledge of her multiple crushes on everyone who could outdo her in knives, like that one girl who was a year above them who managed to beat Clove’s score by 10 points.

Once he’d run out of things to say, Clove in turn told him all about what’s been going on with her the past eight years. She gives him a year by year run down since she entered the academy early, only a few months after his “death” and a year before she was ten. The first year she was a mess. She refused to be civil to anyone, always getting into fights with everyone who dared to talk smack about him and his family. Then after way too many reprimands and with the threat of getting her guardians involved, Clove decided to just not talk to anyone. She spent the entire year silent and worked on improving her knife skills because it was the only good thing she had left to focus on. It wasn’t until third year that things started to look a little brighter. 

A few of the girls in her year started to talk to her and they all began to trade training advice until it culminated into hanging together outside of school. Going to the deli shop and hanging out at the metalworks store like she used to do with him. They even acted as a pretty good shield against Kai once puberty hit and hormones started going around like the flu. She never really did enter a relationship, only experimented now and then with any and all interested parties who weren’t jerks, bullies, or Kai. And even though the pain of his “death” never really went away, Clove was still happy that she had friends throughout the years leading up to the current one. The situation at home had already been devolving with each year since the incident but it was like every time she stepped into the house, a bomb was counting down and she didn’t know how much time was left. When the day of the Reaping came, she took the chance to volunteer and fought tooth and nail until she got onto that stage, kicking a few bullies in the teeth while she was at it. And now here she is, catching up with the best friend she thought was dead.

A comforting silence settles between them. The two share a side hug, leaning into each other like the past eight years didn’t happen and they were still best friends and tribute partners rather than rivaling tributes with a distance that couldn’t be overcome with just one heart to heart conversation. 

Val doesn’t know how long they’ve been up here on the roof though the chill that’s starting to spread throughout him indicates that it’s been a while. He doesn’t want this to end. Just like he didn’t want his sister to be reaped or her boyfriend. How he didn’t want to volunteer and be here trying to figure out a way to ensure her victory through the sacrifice of his life only to run into an old friend he had missed dearly. He didn’t want to see Clove die like he didn’t want to see Rue or any of the other young tributes die just so he could protect his sister’s happiness.

But what’s done is done and the only thing he can do is survive just like always.

One day at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the second day of training done! I hope you also enjoyed the additional character development I gave Clove and don’t mind the alliance I decided to toss in with 11. Just wanted to add in a few things that I thought would be great and relevant to my story so hopefully it doesn’t come off as forced or repetitive. Next chapter’s gonna be the last day of training then we’ll be getting the ball rolling with the judging and interviews and then finally the Games! Onwards!


	14. You're Playing With Fire (Don't Get Burned)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 of Training - Shit's going down and the results are spectacular. Also, the Everdeen siblings have another attempt at talking about serious subject before delaying the end of the conversation once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Here’s the last of the original triple update plan. We are now at the last day of training folk! Then we get back to focusing on canon events and less on world building and character development…probably. Also, I just realized, for a book and movie called the Hunger Games, the actual Hunger Games don’t occur until half way through. So…yeah. I’m really sorry if you’re waiting for the Games to finally start but I’m actually enjoying my attempt at expanding on world building and character development. Hope you guys are too! 
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Val yawned as he ran through the motions of testing and purifying the various samples of water provided at the station.

“Late night?” Katniss asks, tone light yet somehow accusatory at the same time.

He stifles another yawn while glaring at her bright eyed, bushy tailed demeanor. “Look, I already apologized at least a hundred times for not grabbing you to join me and Clove during our “midnight rendezvous.” Can you let it go already?”

“You only apologized 87 times and no, I won’t,” she replies plainly.

“You actually counted?” he asks, surprised.

“That’s not the point and you know it,” she snaps at him.

He sighs, putting down the bottle of iodine and cup of river water back down on the table before facing her. “I thought you liked Clove? You liked her enough to want to be friends,” he calmly says while crossing his arms.

She puts her own iodine and water sample down onto the metal table. It makes a loud clatter that seems to echo throughout the training hall but doesn’t draw anyone’s attention. “Yeah, I would, if we were living in a world that wasn’t separated by Districts where kids live in fear of being chosen for a death game because of a tyrannical government ruled by a rose obsessed overlord.”

He rolls his eyes, too tired for her dramatics. “So then what’s the problem?”

“My problem is that you are continually stacking the deck against yourself and it’s going to get you killed,” Katniss responds as she crosses her arms and glares. “I would greatly appreciate it if my older brother didn’t die before, during, or immediately after the bloodbath.”

“And how, dear sister, am I stacking the deck against myself?” he asks, tone flat. “ If anything, I have a better chance at surviving than most of the tributes here.”

Katniss doesn’t even bother to word her answer. Instead she points to where the Careers have gathered by the hand to hand combat station to continue their intimidation tactics. Kai is glaring in their direction as he throws and pins down a red-faced Marvel. Once his eyes meet with Val’s, he drags the thumb of the hand he isn’t using to choke Marvel out, across his neck.

“He really seems to like using that gesture,” Val comments, tone light and joking. 

Katniss scowls. “Come on Val. Take this seriously.”

He shrugs as his gaze roams until it meets with Clove’s, who’s bored out of her mind watching Kai flex his muscles at her with an almost drooling Glimmer standing beside. She gives a small wave that Val returns with a smile. Katniss slaps him harshly on the shoulder, drawing his attention back to her.

“See! This is why you’re going to get yourself killed!” she says insistently.

He frowns. “Because Kai hates me and Clove is my friend?”

“Yes!” she shouts as she throws her hands up in the air in exasperation like she can’t believe someone so smart and so able to read people like a book could be so stupid and oblivious. 

“You do know this could work to my advantage right? Clove’s my friend so she’s not going to directly or indirectly cause my death. Kai hates me, but because of his arrogant Career mentality, he’s more likely to draw the hunt out rather than kill me immediately because it won’t feel like a victory,” he calmly explains, returning his attention back to the water samples.

“It’s like talking to a brick wall sometimes with you,” she groans out.

“Pot meet kettle,” he retorts.

She scowls and turns her attention back to the water samples as well. The argument ends there and an uncomfortable silence settles around them. 

After a few moments, Val tentatively asks, “Wanna go back to the plant life station? See if we can’t screw around with the poison ivy this time?”

For a moment, she doesn’t respond and Val fears that he may have been put on her temporary shit list. Then, for a terrifying moment, she puts down her materials and turns to face him with a blank expression. Val pales as her eyes seem to glare daggers into his soul. Finally, after an almost heart attack, she smiles.

“Last one there’s gotta toss the ivy,” she laughs out as she starts booking it to the plant life station. 

Val startles at the sudden change before quickly shaking it off. He rushes after her not wanting to be the poor sap suck on the other end of whatever scheme she’s cooking. “Hey! That’s cheating!”

Katniss merely looks over her shoulder to stick her tongue out at him much to his indignation. Their display draws the attention of the rest of the tributes. Many look at them in ire or jealousy, some even look at the two with longing and lost hope.

Regardless, it’s rather smooth sailing for the siblings for the rest of the day despite the little “hiccup” that occurred when one of the trainers accidentally got on the wrong end of the scheme Katniss had concocted with the poison ivy. The trainer had to be rushed to the medical ward and the two were given a stern talking to by the supervising trainer and then banned from the station for the rest of the day.

Afterwards, Val and Katniss hopped around to other survivalist stations such as the ones for traps, rope and knots, tracking, and shelter construction. Meanwhile, all round them, the Careers, barring Clove, split up and started messing around the other tributes. They must have realized that their original tactics of showcasing their killing abilities were no longer as intimidating. 

The effects dulled by how some of the other tributes, mainly Val, Katniss, and Thresh, weren’t taking any of the crap that they were dishing and it was encouraging. Like the other non-Career tributes were taking hope in the fact that if three tributes from the poorest Districts were able to stand up to the champions of the wealthier Districts then maybe they had a better chance at surviving than they first thought. 

So now the Careers were taking the direct approach in their intimidation. They get up in other tributes faces in whichever stations they were at. They started interfering with their training in combat stations like spear and knives, making sure they were sparring partners in swords and hand to hand. They called out names, made threats, purposely tried to cause accidents that could result in minor bodily injury.

The siblings did their best to ignore it - Val because he decided to err on the side of caution after Katniss’ outburst and Katniss because she’s not as reckless or trigger happy as her brother believes her to be. It wasn’t until the two decided to circle back to the fire station that shit started to go down.

Katniss jumps again as a spark flies up from the flint she was using. Val laughs to himself. 

“Still jumping at sparks, girl on fire?” he teases.

Katniss moves to retort but stops when a hulking shadow that now looms over their crouched forms.

“Careful there, Everdeen. Wouldn’t want you to get burned,” Kai’s voice sneers out from behind them.

The two turn and look at a snarling Kai who’s trying desperately to assert his waning dominance by looming as much of his well-muscled but still non-bulky form as he physically can.

“I’m really starting to get tired of asking you which Everdeen you mean, dipshit,” Katniss deadpans, her attitude all nonchalant as she rolls her eyes and returns her attention to her original task.

“What did you just call me?” Kai snarls, fuming and completely red in the face.

She sighs and puts down the flint. “And now you’re hard of hearing too? Guess you Career folk really aren’t all that,” she taunts.

“Katniss,” Val says sharply, giving her a look of warning as Kai’s face slowly turns purple from rage and possible lack of oxygen. It’s a warning he hopes she heeds because they do not need any trouble right now, especially not from Kai. All a confrontation with him would do now is enlarge the targets already on their backs.

He then spots the rest of the Career Pack making their way over to them. Noah and Amber seem more visibly hesitant to get involved with whatever shit Kai’s trying to pull. Marvel actually looks annoyed by what’s happening while Glimmer looks ready to jump in and defend Kai’s nonexistent honor. Clove is the only one who is just as worried about the situation as he is. She’s already making a beeline for Kai to try and run interference before he blows a fuse...or Katniss runs her mouth.

“Whatever, you’re not even worth the trouble. All you do is talk, talk, talk like some kinda macho man with something to prove cause he’s got such a small dick that he’s clearly trying to overcompensate for it,” Katniss scoffs, completely ignoring Val’s warning.

“Katniss,” Val hisses again in warning as metaphorical steam comes out of Kai’s ears. He looks pleadingly at Clove, who quickens her pace. “Kai,” Clove says, tone full of warning as well as she reaches out with a hand out to pull the fuming, purple faced Career away. 

Unfortunately for Val and Clove, Katniss had to get one last jab in. “Whatever. It’s not my fault this dumbass can’t even take a hint. But that’s probably because the only thing filling that empty head is his ego and even then it’s just hot air.”

“You little bitch! I’m gonna kill you!” Kati explodes, shoving Clove away with enough force to knock her down as he reaches out to grab a startled Katniss by the throat.

Val quickly intervenes. “Don’t you dare touch my sister, you piece of shit!” he roars out as he pushes Kai hard to have him stumble back. 

This only makes Kai madder. “You! You keep getting in my way just like Evans!” he shouts out, ready to Val down like a raging bull. “I’m gonna gut you just like that little shit was!”

“Kai! Wait!” Clove cries out, springing off the floor and grabbing his arm before he could do anything stupid.

“What!” he demands, pausing his charge to face her.

“You can’t do anything stupid,” she calmly says.

“And what would you propose I do?” he snaps at her.

Katniss whistles, impressed. “So the big, scary monkey does know how to use proper grammar.”

“Not helping,” Val hisses while Clove sends a sharp glare in her direction. She raises her hands up in surrender as Clove returns her attention to Kai.

“Why don’t you challenge him to a spar instead? At the hand to hand station,” she suggests, “It’s legally allowed and you can even show off to any potential sponsors.”

Kai calms down enough to go from raging bull to fuming human. “You. Me. Fight. Now,” he grits out while jabbing Val in the chest with each word. He then turns away and stomps to the hand to hand station where a trainer wearily tapes his hands.

Val glares at Katniss who at least has the decency to look chastised. The two then get up and move towards the hand to hand station but Katniss is stopped by Glimmer who stands in her way.

“You aren’t going anywhere, you little hooligan,” she says haughtily, “I demand a match with you as well. You must pay for your insults against Kai.”

“You his keeper or something, ya skank?” Katniss asks, ticked off by the prim and proper airhead before her.

“Hmph! I would expect nothing less from someone of such...low background as you,” Glimmer says with her nose up in the air, looking down at Katniss like she’s the dirt under her shoes. “In fact, why don’t I allow you the opportunity to choose the station for our match. Just to give you a fighting chance.”

“Oh, it’s on,” Katniss snarls, ready to pummel this little princess into next week. But she’s stopped by Val who shakes his head at her, silently telling her ‘No, she can’t go around beating Careers up no matter how much she wants to.’ 

Before she can protest, he looks pointedly at the obstacle course that neither sibling had yet to attempt due to the set up being similar to their hunting paths back home. She smiles and looks back to Glimmer who still looks rather smugly at her.

“Alright then. Let’s do the obstacle course since it’s the only station I haven’t done yet,” Katniss responds with a devious expression that has a flicker of worry cross Glimmer’s eyes.

Glimmer shakes it off and scoffs, “Very well then. I do hope you look forward to losing as I’m sure the only obstacle you’ve ever overcome was grubbing for charity like the low lives you are in your back water District.”

She then whips around and stalks off to the start of the obstacle course which is set up nearby the hand to hand station. Katniss goes to follow but is stopped by Val gently grabbing her arm to hold her back. 

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” he asks her, brow furrowed with worry.

She smirks. “Don’t worry bro. I got this.”

“You didn’t forget Haymitch’s warning, did you?”

Katniss gently loosens his grip on her arm and takes a step back. “Don’t worry Val. _I got this_.”

She gives him a thumbs up before walking off with a pep in her step. Val sighs at his growing headache before reluctantly heading to where Kai impatiently paces on the mats.

The Career Pack is torn on which station they should go to and thus which Career they should be supporting. Clove heads off to the hand to hand station, presumably to support Kai but actually to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. Marvel follows after Glimmer like a love sick puppy who’s still hopeful its master will someday love it more than the other dog. Noah and Amber decide to make themselves scarce as their survival instincts scream at them that this entire situation will end terribly.

Val arrives at the station and offers his hands to be taped by the trainer. Kai stops pacing like a caged animal and snarls, “Finally. Thought you were gonna get cold feet and run off like the coward you are, Everdeen.”

Val doesn’t bother to dignify that with a response, silently testing the tape and stretching out his muscles as he keeps a close eye on his sister who’s warming up next to Glimmer who’s actually checking her nails and hair instead of warming up like she’s supposed to.

Glimmer looks up from her nails and catches sight of Kai and Val on the mats. “Yoohoo! Kai! Make sure you watch me closely as I beat this lowly hooligan back down where she belongs!” she shouts out with a cheeky smile and a wave.

Val blinks in surprise at the display while Katniss twitches in annoyance. “Careful there sweetheart, cause if you don’t, Imma knock you off that high horse of yours,” she snarks at Glimmer who huffs and puffs at her.

Val looks to Kai as they move to stand six feet apart on the mats. He’s scowling and looking pointedly away from Glimmer who’s pouting at him as she and Katniss position themselves at the start line. Kai notices Val staring and snaps at him, “What the fuck are you looking at?”

“Just thought you’d be happy to have a good looking girl like Glimmer as your fan, since you seem to be such a “lady’s man” after all.” Val shrugs as he gets into a fighting stance. “But I guess you’re just playing a role like everyone else is,” he continues to say, making Kai twitch with indiscernible emotion at his observations, “I wonder how much of your bravado is real and how much stems from some anger towards this Cato guy you used to know.”

“Mind your own goddamn business!” Kai shouts out as he lunges at Val with a fist aimed at his face. 

Val dodges to the side just as the buzzer for the obstacle course sounds out. Katniss shoots off down the course with a speed that can only come from having to run after prey and from aggressive predators through rough terrain. Glimmer quickly shakes off the surprise that had overcome her and races after her with the calculated speed given through the vigorous training of the Academy. They dart off towards a metal section consisting of moving beams and rods that they dodge, duck, and jump over.

Kai and Val engage in a dance of punch and dodge where Kai continually tries to land a hit while Val continues to dance around him as he dodges each attempt. 

“Stop being a coward and fight me!” Kai grunts out as his fist once again misses Val’s face. He’s starting to tire from the physical exertion but is still going strong.

“It’s not cowardice to avoid getting hit, merely strategy in order to gauge my opponent and find a way to beat them in an efficient manner,” Val pants out as he too tires from dodging Kai’s high punch count. He’s looking for a pattern, a weakness, something, and so far, he’s got nothing...yet.

Kai roars as he jumps at him and misses, fist coming down with a loud smack against the mats. “You’re just like that little shit, Evans. Running around like a coward and looking down on everyone with that smug face of his,” he pants out.

Meanwhile, Katniss is jumping across metal disks floating in a pool with the ease of a rabbit with Glimmer managing to keep pace with her. The two jump out of the pool at the same time and race towards a section with water raining heavily down on mud slick ground. Katniss rushes through with ease, only slightly tripping when her foot lands at the wrong angle while Glimmer slips and slides across. The distance starts to grow between them.

“You seem really obsessed with this Cato guy. What did he do to you, man? Did he steal your girlfriend? Make fun of you in school? Get you in trouble with your family?” Val lightly snarks, catching sight of Clove giving him a look of alarm. He smiles at her as if to say don’t worry, he knows what he’s doing. 

And he does, because as Kai’s anger grows his movements become more erratic, like a bull seeing red and blindly charging in.

Val smirks. “Is his ghost haunting you or something? Maybe you have some regrets weighing you down?” Then he goes in for the kill, which is also a complete shot in the dark. “Or maybe it’s repression.”

The shot hits as Kai roars out in fury and redoubles his efforts to just land one hit. “Shut up!”

“Oh! Right on the money! I wonder what kind of repression we’re talking about here.” Val says as he ducks around the flurry of punches and darts around in circles, making Kai spin frantically around to try and keep him in sight. His actions now taunt Kai which serves to raise the level of his anger and increase the franticness of his movements.

“Is it family related? What? Did your mommy and daddy not give you enough love? They compare you to him one too many times? You were just never good enough?”

Punch. Dodge. Kick. Dodge. 

Katniss and Glimmer are now climbing a rope wall up to a platform with bars to grab and carry themselves across the wide gap with only a net to catch them below. Glimmer struggles and gets caught in the ropes. She tries to pull her limbs out of the mess but only gets more twisted up in them.

“I wonder if it's friendship related? Did you want to be his friend, maybe his only friend, but you just suck at emotions and got all intimidated by how many he had? Is that why you keep trying to act all possessive of Clove? Cause she was his friend?”

Punch. Dodge. Punch. Dodge. Punch. Dodge. 

Katniss completes the climb and instead of grabbing the underside of the bars to climb across, she pulls herself up to stand onto the rungs and races across like there isn’t a twenty foot plus drop underneath her. 

“Or maybe it’s something else. Maybe you wanted to be more than friends-”

An enraged roar followed by a weighted punch cuts Val off as it manages to catch him in the shoulder. He goes down like a rock, back hitting the mats with a heavy thud. Kai quickly takes advantage by grabbing Val by the throat and straddling him between his legs, their faces are inches apart. The whole situation would look very compromising if it weren’t for the fact that Kai was currently choking him out. There’s also a brief moment where Kai is replaced by an image of Gale. Val quickly shakes that highly inappropriate and ill-timed thought out of his head. 

Meanwhile, Glimmer managed to untangle herself and start crossing the bars but Katniss has already made her way to the wood wall on the other side with ropes to climb down. She quickly pulls a rope up with a glance back to see Glimmer’s halfway across the gap.

“Not so tough now, Everdeen,” Kai spits out.

Val cringes away from him and is considerably calm despite his current position. “Dude. Ever heard of breath mints?” he manages to choke out.

The jab works as Kai’s grip loosens so he could potentially punch Val out but he never gets the chance as Val grabs Kai’s right forearm with his right hand. He shoves his left arm out to grab onto Kai’s shoulder, quickly rotates his hips to the left so he’s perpendicular to him, and brings his left leg up and around Kai’s head to meet with his right leg as he rolls Kai onto the ground and brings him down into an arm lock.

At the same time, Katniss uses the rope she’s gathered up to propel herself down the wall as swiftly as possible. Glimmer’s almost completely across the gap by the time she hits the ground. Then she’s off like a bullet across the finish line. The resounding buzz startles Glimmer into losing her grip on the last bar and she falls down onto the rope net. 

“Give up yet?” Val pants out as he keeps hold of Kai’s arm and pins his neck and body down with his legs.

Kai thrashes violently in response, his legs kicking up into the air to try and get Val in the face but Val merely tightens his grip. Kai’s elbow makes a dangerous creaking noise as Val continues to apply steady pressure with the intent to break his elbow if he doesn't give in. But Kai refuses to give in, thrashing every which way to break the hold regardless of whether his elbow breaks or not because he is not giving in, especially not to this District 12 loser.

Unfortunately for Kai, the decision is made for him when the trainer calls out for Kai to stop moving this instant and for Val to let him go as it is clear he is the winner of the match as his opponent is unable to break his hold.

Val quickly lets go and scrambles away from Kai who pulls himself up, heaving and panting and ready to charge at Val again but he’s stopped by the trainer and Clove standing in his way. 

“This isn’t over, Everdeen. Not by a long shot,” Kai threatens as Clove delicately herds him away like one would a wet, angry cat.

He storms past a weary Katniss who quickens her pace over to Val. The siblings watch as Glimmer sidles up to Kai, trying to comfort him and be comforted in return, but Kai shoves her to the floor. Marvel rushes over to help her up but Glimmer pushes him away and runs off after Kai. 

“Poor guy,” Katniss comments as she watches Marvel glare at the floor before storming off to the spear station.

Val looks at her, eyebrow raised in skepticism. “What happened to all that talk about not showing empathy for our fellow tributes?”

“Oh, I still 100% believe that but...” she shrugs, “One sided love like that is just really sad to look at.”

“And you’re a romance expert all of a sudden? Remind me how it is you got into your relationship with Peeta again?” he can’t help but tease her as she flushes red in embarrassment.

“When are you ever gonna let that go?”

“How about never? Not even when I’m dead cause I’ll just come back to haunt you over it,” he jokes which unfortunately was the wrong thing to say as it quickly sombers the mood.

The siblings stand around awkwardly for a few moments.

“Let’s go back to the fire station,” Katniss suggests, “Cause I refuse to leave this hall without having successfully made a single fire.”

“Even if it’s a tiny one?” Val responds as he follows her back to the fire station. He takes note of how the other tributes are now even more weary of them, the Careers barring Clove especially so.

“I don’t care if it’s the most tiny ass fire in the history of fires. I. Am. Making. A. Fire,” she rants while snatching the flint off the station’s table and getting back to work on the tiny pile of branches she left behind.

Val watches on, amused, as Katniss tries over and over and over again to lit just one fire. After what might’ve been her 100th attempt, the sparks finally catch and a small flame appears at the top of the pile. She cheers at her success and pulls Val into a silly little celebration dance which promptly ends when the flame disappears just as quickly as it appears.

Her cheer instantly becomes indignant anger. She kicks the pile of branches and storms off to the combat stations again to take her anger out on some dummies. Val hums and follows along as the two continue to hop along combat and survival stations throughout the rest of the day.

The tributes continue to give them a wide berth of distance, weary glances boring into their backs which seem to weigh more heavily than the stares of before.

Val leans against the railing of the roof balcony as he takes in the view of the Capitol spread out before him. Even though the buildings are all the same, the lights have changed color schemes from the muted pastel of last night to the bright neon of tonight. The wind whips at his hairs as it whistles all around him.

His mind slowly works through the lecture that Haymitch had given them during dinner. Apparently he’d heard about the spectacle that the siblings had put on during training. Now all the tributes were in a bit of a tizzy, especially the Careers. Because while they had known the siblings were not the average tributes from 12, they didn’t know they could be on par with the Careers.

Despite Effie’s tittering about how this was a great opportunity and made the Games more exciting, Haymitch ripped them a new one over taking unnecessary risks and while he gave them permission to show off and shake things up, he did not say they were allowed to overturn the whole box and shake everything out so that it all broke into pieces on the floor.

He gave them one last warning to watch themselves and to remember to play their role if they have any chance of increasing their odds of surviving. Not another step out of line, no more following their instincts or emotions. Tomorrow would be when they went over their game plan for the judging and interviews. Until then, he was going to go stare at a bottle of vodka and hope it got him drunk through the power of suggestion.

“So this is the famous escape balcony everyone’s been talking about.”

Val turns to see Katniss casually making her way over to him, hands in the pockets of her impractical yet somehow practical dark red dress. She’s looking all around her, taking in the gardens and the view as she joins him by the railing. 

“Well I don’t know about the escape part. The Capitol’s taken quite a few measures to ensure the safety of all tributes,” he muses as she leans against the railing next to him.

“Do I wanna know how?”

“...Probably best if you don’t.”

“Fair enough...”

“So you beat Glimmer at the obstacle course...how bad was it?”

Katniss snorts. “Oh it was so bad. She got caught in the ropes of all things and don’t even get me started on the mud. I didn’t think it was possible to skate across mud like ice and there she goes, proving me wrong.”

Val smiles brightly. “Ha! Yeah. I managed to catch the tail end of your run and the look on her face when you crossed the finish line and she fell into the net. Priceless.”

Katniss pouts and whines, “No fair! I wish I could’ve seen her face.” Then her expression takes on a mischievous tone. “But I will say, your fight with Kai was brilliant. I don’t know what you said to him but you somehow managed to make that dickhead madder than a bull in a room full of red.”

“What can I say. Empathy has its perks. Means I know what makes people tick,” he responds with a shrug.

“You were also pretty cozy there for a hot sec. That was a pretty compromising position you two were in,” Katniss says, nudging him as she gives a shit-eating grin.

Val grimaces at the mention. “Yeah. How about we never mention that again thank you very much. I am and will never be interested. Even if you gave the guy an attitude change and paid me a million bucks, I still wouldn’t want to even be in the same room, let alone the same District as him.”

Katniss nods along, sagely. “That’s right,” she says in dramatic realization, “You’re a one guy kind of guy and you already got a guy in mind. And I’ll bet you were even thinking of him when you were being pinned down.”

Val’s grimace deepens as a blush spreads across his face. Katniss gapes at him in shock and then that shock turns into laughter. “Oh my god Val! I was joking!” she gasps out between laughs, “Holy shit! My older brother is a kinky little bastard.”

“Katniss!” Val shouts, scandalized and blushing all the way down his neck. 

Katniss only laughs harder at his reaction. And then she abruptly stops as a look of disgust crosses her face. “Eww...I can’t believe I’m learning the details of your non-existent sex life.” She shudders in disgust. “I don’t even wanna think about what I would know when you do get one.”

“If, Katniss, not when. If,” he corrects.

Then a silence settles around like a weighted blanket. The tension that had always been sitting below the surface, rising up again as their thoughts steer back into dangerous territory. The two can’t even look at each other for a moment. They both turn their gazes away from the other as the wind whistles around them, not knowing of how to broach the subject and both thinking that it’s still much too early to be talking about it again. Better to delay it to tomorrow after the judging or maybe even the day after when the interviews were over all that was left was to talk before they’re sent into the unknown.

Unfortunately for Val, Katniss decides that they can’t keep putting off the conversation till the next day. So she breaks the silence.

“Hey Val?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Why are you trying so hard to sacrifice yourself for me? For your perceived notion of my “happiness”...” she looks to him for an answer.

He looks out to the bright city landscape spread out before them. “You really wanna talk about this now? When we’re just two days away from being sent to the arena?” 

“Well when the fuck do you want ot have this converastion, Val? The night before? Because we will, no, we need to have this conversation before we run out of time. You know as well as I do that anything can happen in that arena and I refuse to leave things unsaid with you,” she says, forcefully. 

Val lifts his head up to the night sky. It always amazed him how no matter where he was, whether it be 2 or 12 or even the Capitol, the night sky always looked the same. His silence prompts Katniss to continue speaking.

“You’ve already made too many sacrifices for us Val, especially after dad died in the mining accident. You’ve kept us safe, you’ve kept us together and happy and whole. Just let me do this one thing for you,” she says, insistently, almost begging.

He presses his lips into a thin line as he tries to come up with a response. Her almost begging has him shaken and thrown off balance because Katniss Everdeen never begs. Not since their dad died and she begged him and then their mom to come back to them. 

“I may have kept us together, but you’re the one who brought us hope. I was already growing weary, losing what little hope I had left...and then you came in with that loaf of bread and suddenly it was like I got another new lease on life. A bit of hope that reminded me again that things can get better,” he finally answers.

It’s obviously not the answer she’s looking for as she stomps the ground like a toddler having a tantrum. “Stop doing that!” she shouts, almost desperately. 

“Doing what?” he shouts back, scared at the wild look in her eyes, the tears that are starting to gather.

“Stop trying to play the martyr. Stop trying to sacrifice yourself for me, for Prim. You already saved Peeta by volunteering. You already saved me by making it so I wouldn't have to see him die. Yes, Val, I know exactly what you were trying to do when you volunteered,” she says when prompted by the shocked look on his face. Her expression softens. “Val...I already got my chance to be happy and I already knew I wasn’t going to live long anyways. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you give up your chance.”

Val still tries to counter her pleas, even if he wasn’t trying to fulfill a life debt to the Everdeens, he’s still her older brother. And older brothers will do anything to protect their younger siblings no matter how much they might object. 

“I don’t have a chance. I never did,” he says as calmly as he can. “Not when I knew I was living on borrowed time and it’s better that I do this one thing to protect you and get you back home then to have another die just so I could live.”

“Oh my god, Val! You really don’t see the effect you can have, do you?” Katniss shouts out, throwing her hands up in frustration at the apparent pigheadedness of her brother. “You don’t see how the entirety of District 12 became more lively, more bright after you came into our lives. I’m worth nothing. I provide nothing. I’ll never amount to anything more in life than becoming another jaded Seamer but you.” She leans towards him to stab a finger at his chest. “You can become someone and I refuse to let you squander this chance out of some misguided attempt to repay a debt that never existed in the first place.”

Val looks away, not wanting to continue this conversation at all. What effect? He doesn’t want to have an effect on anyone, he doesn’t even want to be someone, at least not the way Katniss seems to think he has been and should continue being. That’s only going to bring unnecessary attention and look at the consequences it had wrought on his family in 2. And it’s with that thought that Val’s mind immediately jumps back to something that had been bothering him ever since the Opening Ceremony.

“Do you think President Snow knows?” Val asks, seemingly out of nowhere.

Katniss blinks at him, thrown off by the abrupt subject change. “W-what?”

“It’s just...” he hesitates, unsure of whether he really wants an answer to the question he still hasn’t quite asked, “That look he gave us, gave me, back during the Opening Ceremony. It felt like he knew who I really was. Like he could tell just by looking.”

“No, definitely not,” she waves him off after gathering herself after her earlier emotional display. She tries to play nonchalance but inside she too was nervous. Did President Snow, the source of all her brother’s heartache, really know who he was? No. He couldn’t. Not when Val’s changed so much in the past 10 years. “He was just looking at us like that cause no one’s ever done what we did, especially dressed as we were in the history of the Games. I mean, come on. Two tributes from 12 looking all confident and not at all like their gonna keel over while on fire?” 

And besides, Snow’s probably never even seen so much as a photo of Val as a kid so he definitely wouldn’t even know what he looked like now. Right? Right. Because she’s always right, no matter how many times she’s actually wrong, she’s right. And if Val tries to say otherwise, well, that’s what her fists are for.

“You’re right. Cinna wanted us to be a game changer and I guess we can say, mission accomplished,” he agrees with a tone that sounds more like he’s still trying to reassure himself rather than actually being reassured by her words.

Katniss nods resolutely, refusing to give him the chance to doubt himself again.

“Now...” she says as she stretches her arms out, “What say we head back in? It’s starting to get kinda cold.”

“Yeah, sure. My room again?”

She slaps him on the back with a grin. “Oh hell yeah! Your bed’s way more comfortable than mine.”

Val smiles back, doubts creeping away. “Just don’t kick me off again. My back still hurts,” he says jokingly but still somewhat serious as he works out the kinks that still remain from the sparring match with Kai earlier that day.

“Well then you shouldn’t have gone through with that macho man challenge against Kai. I swear, you men and your fragile egos,” she scoffs, exasperated by the intelligence of the men around her.

He groans, “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Clove.”

“Ha! More like I haven’t been spending enough time with her,” she laughs out, slapping him on the back again which makes him jump from the pain of slapped sore muscles. “She has the best stories of when you were kids like that one about the forge, your mom, and a squirrel.”

“WHAT!” Val shouts, turning to grab Katniss by the shoulders with a panicked expression. “She told you that? We both agreed never to speak of that incident ever again! What the fuck!”

Katniss pushes his hands off with a gleeful expression. “You finally said fuck!” she giddily states, “It only took me 5 years!”

“W-wha-” Val steps back completely flabbergasted, before blinking and protesting, “I-I’ve sworn before.”

She nods sagely as she crosses her arms. “Well yeah, but not because of me. You’re always such a big brother, tryna watch your language around me and Prim,” she says with a fond yet exasperated expression.

Val frowns with his brow furrowed like it always does whenever Katniss says or does something that any sane older sibling would never approve of. “That’s because I’m your big brother. And Prim’s still too young to be swearing like you and I do.”

“You do know she’s already said fuck quite a few times this past month right?” Katniss responds with a cheeky smile that only spelled trouble whenever it appeared.

His brain crashes at that tidbit of information. “W-what!” he sputters out as his brain restarts, “Katniss! What did you do!”

Katniss merely laughs out loud at his reaction.

“Stop laughing! How dare you corrupt our innocent little Primrose like that!” Val shouts as she doubles over, almost in tears from how hard she’s laughing. His brow twitches with irritation.

“Alright. That’s it. Come ‘ere you little shit!” he threatens as he advances upon her.

Katniss, finally gathering herself enough to stop laughing so hard, dodges his attempts to grab here. “Ha, ha, ha. How about no,” she smirks while sidestepping another grabbing attempt.

“Katniss!”

Unfazed by the impromptu game of tackle tag, Katniss turns to the direction of the rooftop access door.

“Race you to your room, big bro!” she shouts as she runs for it, “Last one there’s not getting back in!”

“Hey! Katniss! Get back here!” he shouts as he chases her laughing self around and across the rooftop.

Eventually, the two siblings are both laughing as they run to the door. Their spirits are high and hopes no longer as fleeting as before as their fears and insecurities of what’s to come fade away, just for tonight. Even though they know that tonight is not the end of their conversation about sacrifices and life debts. But for now, they let it go for another day.

Because tonight is the night they have left to believe that maybe, just maybe, they’ll be able to get through this together, without having to let the other go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of the training days! I hope you guys enjoyed it and are looking forward to the judging and interviews because I’m looking forward to giving more depth to a bunch of different characters in the next two chapters. Even though I made Kai out to be the canon Cato of this AU, I still want to make him a somewhat sympathetic character because a lot of the antagonists in this trilogy aren’t inherently bad. They’re just made bad by the circumstance they find themselves in and have to adapt or die. Which I hope you guys can see through my character building.
> 
> Regardless, we’re two chapters away from the Games! The next two chapters will probably be part of a double update due to the fact that the judging will be its own chapter and that in itself is pretty fast. Then it’ll be the interviews where I only plan to go in depth with two characters and super in depth with our protagonists. So I hope you guys don’t mind being patient until then. I swear we will get to the Games before the new year. Until then, cheers!


	15. Judgment Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for evaluations have come and both Val and Katniss end up doing the one thing they both swore never to do while in the Capitol - pull a Katniss. However, the results of such actions may turn the odds ever in their favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Merry belated Christmas and holidays to those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas. Many apologies that this chapter came out so late. I’m still going to try to keep my promise of getting to the Games before New Year’s but it’s starting to look less and less likely so I just wanted to apologize in advance. Also, part of my apology comes in the form of a half chapter where I decided to write Kai and Clove’s individual evaluations in order to give y’all more insight into their character mindsets and motivations. Hope you guys will enjoy it as a sort of belated gift!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Katniss and Val stare down apprehensively at their current foe. 

Unfortunately for them, it’s an unavoidable confrontation. 

Like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

A unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.

They both frown and glare at the obstacle that stands before them.

Their foe stands tall and strong. 

Their foe has undeniable steel in their spine.

Their foe...

Is the shiny, silver handle of the front door of the penthouse.

“Do you wanna have the first go?” Katniss asks as she lightly nudges Val with her elbow.

Val nudges her back with his own elbow as he says, “No, no. Ladies first. I _insist_.”

She nudges back harder. “Well _I_ insist. Age before beauty after all.”

He nudges back harder too. “You’re the type to charge in head first, no thoughts necessary. Which is exactly what we need here."

She digs her elbow into his side, hard enough to bruise. “And you’re the one who comes up with back up plans for his back up plans. Clearly, strategic thinking is what we need here.”

He digs his elbow into her side and that immediately prompts the siblings into an elbow jab match that would’ve devolved into a full on fist fight if it weren’t for the door being abruptly opened before them.

The two look to see an annoyed Haymitch holding the door open for them with his foot tapping impatiently at their childishness. 

“Are you kids done now?” he asks, tone as dry as the coal in the mines of 12.

Val lowers his gaze, sufficiently chastised. Katniss crosses her arms with a huff, trying desperately to push down the blush of embarrassment that was slowly spreading across her face.

Haymitch points at the open door. “Good. Now get.”

Val obediently follows his instruction though Katniss follows along with much grumbling and petulant stomping. The siblings start joking and ribbing at each other over their mutual reluctance to open a simple door as they make their way to the elevator. Unbeknownst to them, Haymitch watches them with an unreadable expression and the smallest traces of sadness. Just for a moment, a memory replaces the image of the siblings in Haymitch’s eyes. The hazy picutre of a boy with wheat blonde hair and lazy posture laughing with a girl with dark brown hair and sparkling eyes nudging him playfully as the elevator doors close behind them. 

In the hallway leading to the doors of the training hall, an impromptu seating area consisting of various benches is set up. All the tributes sit in varying groups and distances across the benches. On the bench located the farthest away from the doors, Katniss and Val sit closely together. They lean on each other for support, hands held tightly for comfort. As Katniss’ attention focuses inward on what she’ll do for her evaluation, Val’s attention turns outward toward the other tributes. 

The Careers all gather together on one bench, Marvel and Noah horse around with Kai asserting his dominance over the two. The girls all sit in their own bubble - Clove looks like she’d rather be anywhere but here as Kai continues to flex his muscles at her, Glimmer gazes longingly at Kai and seems to be actually drooling at the sight of him, and Amber sits uncomfortably between the two.

The youngest tributes - Sebastian, Craigh, and Susan - huddle together in an open show of support for each other. Even though their tribute partners look at them in disapproval, it’s only a shallow level that betrays how worried they actually are.

Azora and Dean sit uncomfortably next to each other though they try to put on a brave face. Same with Demetria and Timmer though their confident act is more convincing. Tamora sits still with poise and a neutral expression while Jason has his eyes shut like he’s sleeping though his furrowed brow betrays his worry. Sienna and Wallace are more open with their fear, especially after the debacle with Kai the other day. Savannah and Lee sit close to each other, trying to continue their united act, but the tension in their bodies and the glares Lee sends Savannah quickly has the act falling apart. Finch somehow manages to get a whole bench to herself, continuing to feed into her lone wolf act. And Rue sits tucked next to Thresh who wraps an arm around her in comfort.

“The evaluations will now commence. Tributes, please enter through the doors when your name is called,” a clear, crisp voice announces from the speakers.

“District 1, Glimmer Rambin.”

Glimmer pouts at losing the opportunity to continue to ogle Kai. She flounces over to the doors and enters with all the energy and personality of a Capitol diva.

Val checks out after that. Only briefly focusing in again when Clove’s name is called. He looks up to see her quickly glance back at him. He tries to give her a reassuring smile though it feels more like a grimace and she returns it with a hesitant smile of her own. Then she turns away and enters through the doors. 

Not even ten minutes later, Kai’s name is called. And given that he caught the glance Clove sent to Val before she left...If looks could kill, the glare Kai sent his way could’ve cut him in half.

After that, he checks out for good, his mind zoning out as names are called and tributes leave one by one until finally, it’s just the Everdeen siblings left sitting in the empty hall.

“District 12, Katniss Everdeen.”

Katniss jolts to attention, her hand slipping from his own as she stands. She tries to take a deep breath but it rattles her form and comes out shaky. Val grabs her hand. She looks back at him, the fear and uncertainty clear on her face. He responds with a reassuring smile that has her close her eyes and take in another deep breath, this time less shaky.

When she opens her eyes, the fear has faded away and been replaced with hard steel and anger that’s been simmering below the surface ever since they first stepped foot into the Capitol. She gives him a hard nod and he lets go of her hand. She squares her shoulders as she walks to the door without hesitation and enters.

Katniss strolls into the training hall with confidence that wavers as soon as she hears the door shut behind her. As she walks to the center of the hall, she glances around to take stock of her surroundings. 

The training hall is completely empty of people besides her and the judges. There’s a door on the other side, probably the one tributes used to exit the hall to help add to the anxiety factor. The sounds of her shoes echo around her while sounds from the viewing area echo from above. 

She looks up to see that the glass panels acting as a transparent barrier between the viewing area and the training hall were removed. Laughter, clinking glasses, and drunken conversation all come from the Capitol judges having a good time up in the viewing area.

Katniss stands uncomfortably in the center of the hall looking up at the center of the viewing area where the Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane, sits leisurely on a single seat couch. Crane looks relaxed and comfortably in his white tailored pants and dark maroon jacket worn over a bright red button down shirt. A surprisingly simple outfit for a man of his position that reminds Katniss of Cinna and Portia where only the unique trim of his beard gives away his Capitol status. 

Finally after what seems to be hours but was actually seconds, Crane glances down and starts slightly when he sees Katniss as if he wasn’t expecting her despite the fact that the Evaluations weren’t even over yet. She feels a twinge of annoyance when Crane merely nods and gives a dismissive wave to start her evaluation.

She clenches her hands as the annoyance grows into anger when Crane returns his attention to the judge sitting next to him as they both sip at glasses of dark red wine. But she takes a deep breath in. She had a promise she needed to keep after all. Then she lets the breath out and her hands unclench before her nails could draw blood.

Looking around at the various stations, Katniss sees the archery and knife stations. Figuring she might as well start off with her strongest skills, she walks off to the knife station first. She starts weighing the variety of knives in her hand and chances a quick glance at the viewing area. Some of the judges are now looking at her with interest, probably because they couldn’t believe someone from 12 could actually throw a knife.

She finds three knives whose balance perfectly suits her hands and walks the short distance to the targets. Taking in another deep breath in and out, she swiftly tosses the knives with deadly efficiency. One knife embeds itself in the center of the head, another strikes the center of the chest, and a third lands where the crotch area would be. Katniss nods to herself, satisfied at the results, and turns to the viewing area. The few judges who were paying attention have gestured for a few others to watch, including Crane.

Katniss smiles as she walks more confidently to the archery station. Her confidence wavers again when she grabs a bow and realizes that the tension was different than what she was used to. The bow and string somehow felt both lighter and heavier, most likely due to the fact that it was of higher quality than she could ever hope to afford.

She decides to test the weight of the bow before grabbing an arrow. She pulls the string back and finds that while the draw is much smoother, there’s a bit more tension than she’s used to. She loosens the pull, making sure not to let the string go lest she cut or bruise her arm. 

Katniss glances up at the viewing area again and sees the judges are quickly losing interest as they return their attention to each other and their drinks. She quickly grabs an arrow because it’d be a big no-no if she landed a perfect shot and no one was even watching. 

She nocks the arrow and pulls the string back. She takes a moment to aim though her arm trembles slightly at the tension of the string. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she releases the arrow and watches it fly. It lands more on the arm then the chest, and she winces. She quickly nocks another arrow and draws back the string. Her posture is steadier this time as she adjusts her aim and strength before releasing the arrow. 

Katniss silently cheers with pride when this arrow manages to land in the center this time and turns to the viewing area. The pride she feels immediately turns to anger when she realizes that all the judges were now paying full attention to a large roast pig that was just placed on the table by an avox. The anger grows as the judges, with Seneca Crane leading the charge, prepare for a feeding frenzy despite the fact that she’s still in the middle of her evaluation where her score could either help or hinder her chances.

The anger bubbles over at the sight of another example of the blasé attitude Capitol citizens held towards the lives of children and teens who were only there for their own selfish entertainment. Katniss quickly snatches another arrow off the rack and nocks it. She pulls the string back and zeros in on the shiny, red apple placed rather callously in the pig’s mouth. The red is all she can see as she lets the string go and the arrow zips through the air and straight through the apple.

All of the judges startle at the sudden action of the apple being pierced through and into the wall by an arrow. Those standing closest to the pig stumble back in fright and one judge lands on the punch bowl, causing it to flip and spill its contents all over him. Crane looks out at Katniss with wide eyes and indecipherable emotion.

Katniss is already well past the point of giving a shit as she tosses the bow down onto the floor with a clatter and gives her best mockery of a curtsey.

“Thank you for your undivided attention,” she says, words drowning in sarcasm. “Enjoy your fucking pig.”

She stomps across the hall to the door on the other side and exits with a harsh slam that echoes throughout the hall as the judges stand dumbfounded at what just occurred.

She turns her back on the closed door and pants harshly as she wills herself to calm down. Her anger slowly dissipates with each deep breath. 

“Oh shit,” she says as the weight of her actions finally lands on her. She leans against the door and drops down heavily. She places her face into her hands and groans heavily in despair at doing the one thing she promised she wouldn’t do.

She pulled a Katniss.

Val paces nervously as he anxiously waits for his name to be called. He’s silently praying that Katniss wouldn’t do anything that could negatively impact her and thus him which could possibly extend to consequences for their family. He’s so caught up in his thoughts that he jumps a foot in the air when his name is finally called.

“District 12, Valerian Everdeen.”

Val stops his pacing and quickly takes calming breaths before he squares his shoulders and walks into the training hall. Immediately, he’s greeted with the sight of what can only be the aftermath of a patented Katniss Everdeen blow up.

A discarded bow on the floor and arrows and knives still stuck in dummies greet him as he looks around the training hall. He then looks up at the viewing area and sees a punch drenched judge, an apple through an arrow in a wall that must’ve come from the large roast pig displayed on the table, and the undivided attention of every judge in the viewing area. His brow twitches at the headache that was slowly but surely forming in his head.

‘God dammit, Katniss. What the hell did you do?’ he thinks irritably as he walks to the center of the hall and stands before the judges, his brow twitching slightly.

As he waits for permission to begin, Val notes that the Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane, seems to be eyeing him with interest. Probably looking for any sign of another blow up like the one Katniss displayed given the current disarray of just one section of the hall. It’ll be the bare minimum excuse to give him a terrible score or even send Peacekeepers to harass their family. If the Capitol is known for one thing besides sadistic tyranny, it’s the sheer pettiness they can display for even the most insignificant of transgressions.

Eventually, Crane gives the nod and wave to begin and Val marches off to the large monitor where that plant matching program he had seen Finch breeze through was prominently displayed. Before he begins the program, he glances over to the viewing area and sees all of the judges, minus Crane, visibly deflate with relief.

The headache grows as he grits his teeth and begins the program. His hands fly across the monitor as the images of plants and their corresponding names swiftly disappear when matched correctly. Within a minute, he’s matched all fifty plants displayed without a single error. He turns to the judges who all nod approvingly at his knowledge.

He grins to himself and walks over to the knife throwing station, noting how the judges tensed when he arrived in front of the display rack of knives. He bites his lip in an attempt to hold back a snort as he grabs three random knives and makes his way to the target besides the one Katniss had used. As he tests the weight of the three knives, Val holds back a wince when he sees the location of one of the knives Katniss had thrown.

Once he’s finished testing, he centers himself before swiftly throwing the knives. Each knife lands in the center of the target, forming a triangle pattern from how closely they landed together.

He nods in satisfaction at the result and walks off to the archery station. He decides to grab the bow Katniss had thrown onto the floor, giving it a once over to make sure it was still in working condition. He notes that it’s still in perfect condition and even takes a moment to admire the sleek design and general sturdiness of the metal contraption.

He turns to grab an arrow off the rack and sees the judges tense up further until some have their shoulders up to their ears. Val frowns but shrugs it off since they probably believe he might take a shot at them given how Katniss obviously did out of some misguided effort to prove a point or something like that.

He nocks the arrow and pulls the string back, taking note of the tension, weight, and the amount of strength he needed to exert from his upper body. He takes in a deep breath and prepares to let the string go but the sound of a throat clearing stops him. Val loosens the tension of his hold as he looks up at the viewing area in confusion. One of the judges shuffled nervously up to the edge of the viewing area. 

The judge tentatively clears his throat again before hesitantly asking, “This is rather unorthodox of me to ask...but will you also be shooting at us too?”

Val rolls his eyes at the question, making the judge flinch and hide away like a frightened mouse. He scowls at the reaction. “Look, I don’t know what my sister did but I’m not going to shoot at you.” 

All of the judges, barring Crane again, visibly slump with relief. Until Val cheekily smiles and says, “Not unless you give me a reason to so maybe, don’t.” 

The judges tense up again only to relax a few moments later when they realize he’s joking. They wave for him to continue and Val returns his attention to the target. He draws the arrow back, taking a deep breath to steady himself before releasing. The arrow flies through the air and lands on the target in the ring just outside of the center.

Val frowns. He grabs another arrow off the rack and nocks it, making some minor adjustments and calculations in his head before he can even think of drawing it back. From the viewing area, he can hear the voices of the judges as they voice their appreciation for his skills and his charming demeanor. 

“He’s just as skilled as his sister is with the bow. That’s a very rare weapon to be skilled in,” a judge comments.

“Considering the many surprises this year’s games hold, I’m excited to see where things will go,” another giddily states, hands clapping together in delight.

Val rolls his eyes as he pulls the string back and steadies himself as he aims.

Another judge chuckles. “Well I’m more interested in seeing if another surprise will occur and the siblings of 12 will both win.” The judge’s voice takes on a perverted edge. “I’d pay anything to have their company, both at parties and in my bed. They have such spirit, especially the girl, and you know what they say about those who have fire within...”

Val freezes, his body stuck in the drawing position as his blood starts to boil at the words he overheard. He looks over at the viewing area where many judges have started laughing and making crude gestures.

“They’re always the sweetest to break,” another judge chimes in with the same perverted tone.

Now he sees red as all the judges start laughing again. He doesn’t even realize Crane is watching him as if eagerly anticipating to see what he’ll do next. And what he does next is turn so that he can aim his bow up at the viewing area. A large brim hat with a tacky feather sitting on top of the judge with the rowdiest laughter and crudest gestures catches Val’s attention. He quickly draws his bow, aims, and fires.

The arrow soars through the air and knocks the hat right off the judge’s head and straight into the wall just above the apple. The judge and his surrounding companions shriek in terror. They all turn to look at him with a mixture of horror, fear, and surprise in their expressions. Crane looks intrigued as he strokes his beard in thought.

Val places the bow back on the rack with care and turns to give the judges a sharp bow. When he straightens, he gives them all a glare that could cut diamonds. 

“Thank you for your attention and have a good fucking day,” he spits out as he storms out of the training hall and through the exit on the other side.

It’s only when the door closes behind him with a loud click does the red fog clear from his eyes. Growing horror fills his expression as he plops down onto the ground unceremoniously. 

“Oh shit. What the hell did I do?” he asks himself, horrified that he had done the one thing he had never done and vowed never to do.

He pulled a Katniss.

Val and Katniss sit as far away from each other as they can on a two-seat couch. Katniss holds her head up with her hand as she looks off to the side. Val picks at a loose thread on the sleeve of his shirt with a highly unusual amount of focus. Both are clearly a bundle of nerves and anxiety desperately trying to appear calm and nonchalant.

Cinna and Portia sit off to the side, indulging in Effie’s efforts to make small talk as they all wait for the score announcements. The stylists occasionally glance over at the siblings with worry clear in their eyes as they nurse drinks that haven’t been sipped since Val and Katniss reluctantly came out of their rooms for the broadcast. 

Haymitch watches the siblings with a neutral expression that makes the two squirm whenever they glance over at him. He casually sips his water before placing the glass on the sleek white coffee table before them.

“Alright. Spill. What’s got you both all wound up tighter than Harry’s corkscrews?” 

Val and Katniss tense as they look at him like two deers caught in the crosshairs. They glance at each other, then at Haymitch, then back at each other, then away from the other. Haymitch raises an un-amused eyebrow and he grows irritated as the pieces start to click. A headache grows and so does his desire for alcohol, but not until he gets answers.

“What...the hell...did you do?” he grits out.

“Pull a Katniss,” the siblings grumble out, still looking away from each other. Then they immediately turn to the other in surprise.

“You didn’t?” Katniss asks in a surprised awe, now seeing her usually put together brother in a new light.

“You did?” Val asks in horror as the headache that had subsided earlier to be replaced for anxiety came back full force.

“You guys didn’t,” Haymitch groans as he drags a hand down his face. “The one thing I made you swear not to do and you go and do it.”

Val has the decency to look ashamed while Katniss crosses her arms and huffs. Her entire demeanor is defensive and ready for a good fight if Haymitch dares to try to make it one. And dare he does not, he’s too sober for this.

Haymitch sighs in resignation, kneading his forehead to try and subside the pounding headache. “At least tell me what you did. Just so I can see how much damage control I gotta do for the interviews.”

“You’re not even gonna ask us why we did whatever we did?” Katniss asks curiously.

“What’s the point?” Haymitch responds as he leans back in his seat. “What’s done is done and nothing you or I can do to change it. Now just tell me how bad it was.” 

Val and Katniss exchange looks again. She tilts her head for him to go ahead. He frowns because he’s not the one who screwed up first. She scowls because even though she allowed her temper to get the better of her again, recklessness is expected of her not him. He rolls his eyes because fair, he’s always been more level-headed than her. Then he gives her a pointed look because again, he’s not the one who screwed up first. She throws her hands up in the air, an exasperated apology and a question asking what the hell, did he expect any differently from her? His pointed look becomes more pointed because while he didn’t expect any differently, he did expect better. She pouts and relents.

Katniss turns to Haymitch who’s been watching their silent conversation with as much interest as he can muster while sober. She then mumbles out an answer that’s barely comprehensible.

“You wanna try that again? Louder this time?” Haymitch asks dryly.

Katniss blushes and says, louder this time but only just so. “I got mad at the judges for paying more attention to a dead pig than my evaluation so I shot an arrow at them.”

Everyone stares at her in shock and surprise. Effie is outright gaping at her with wide eyes that greatly reminds the siblings of a dying fish desperately trying to breath on land and coming up short because it’s land, not water.

“You what!” Effie screeches. “You shot an arrow at the judges!”

“It was more I shot an arrow at the apple that was in the pig’s mouth than at the judges but yeah, I did shoot in their general direction,” Katniss sheepishly explains.

Everyone continues to stare at her for so long that she starts to fidget uncomfortably. The staring is broken when Haymitch breaks down laughing. Then everyone’s staring at him as he laughs and slaps at his leg like Katniss just told the greatest joke ever.

“That...is the best thing I’ve heard in my entire life,” Haymitch snorts out between laughs. “Tell me...tell me how they reacted. I gotta know.”

Katniss looks bewildered as she stutters out her answer, “U-uh, well...they were all surprised. Quite a few stumbled and tripped onto their asses and one judge even managed to land in the punch bowl.”

Haymitch’s laughter grows more uncontrollable. Cinna offers her a look of encouragement while Portia reaches out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Effie’s gotten up off the couch to pace back and forth.

“How could you do such a thing? The judges are prestigious members of the community chosen specifically by the council, which is of course made of the elite citizens who were handpicked by President Snow himself! You are lucky Crane showed you mercy by not enacting punishment upon you for such blatant disrespect!” Effie rants with wild, undignified hand movements as she paces back and forth.

Haymitch’s laughter died down enough for him to turn to Val and ask, “And what about you, boy? What’d you do?”

Everyone’s attention turns to Val and even Effie stops pacing to give him a look that warned him to word his answer very, very carefully.

“I...uh...I also shot an arrow at the judges,” he starts to say, quickly continuing when Effie opens her mouth to interject, “But only because they made really crude comments about hoping Katniss and I could both win so they could get us into bed with them and...” here he shudders, “Break our spirits.”

That has Effie shut her mouth with an audible click. Then she turns red with indignation. “Oh! I knew it was a terrible idea for that Seneca Crane to be made Head Game Maker. I had heard rumors that he asked for complete authority with no assistance from the President when choosing those he wanted to be judges and fellow Game Makers. No one and I mean, no one! Can decide those worthy enough for such honors other than the President.”

Val and Katniss blink in surprise at Effie because it actually sounded like she was angry with her fellow citizens in the siblings’ defense. Huh. Guess there was more to their pink cream puff escort than initially believed. Maybe she can become a decent person once they find a sharp enough knife to cut through all the Capitol propaganda. 

She also looks ready to go off on another rant but a pointed look from Haymitch stops her. She sits back down with a huff.

“Alright I think we’re getting off topic a little here so let me steer us all back,” Haymitch says before directing his attention to the siblings. “Given what you two’ve told me, there’s really nothing much we can do about it now. The evaluations are over and given Crane’s reputation, your scores can go either way.” 

Val slumps as if a great weight had slipped off his shoulders and another placed on. Katniss rolls her eyes. “Even I could’ve told you that,” she huffs. The two straighten up real fast when Haymitch’s expression turns serious.

“But don’t be too surprised if the Games end up rigged against ya or that your family might end up facing retaliation for your actions,” he warns and suddenly, it’s like Val’s receiving confirmation that his worst fears are coming true. 

His mind starts to spiral as a panic attack slowly overtakes him. Katniss grabs at him quickly, using her hands to force his face to look at her directly. She starts taking slow, deep breaths, in and out, until Val manages to pull himself together enough to follow her silent directions. When he’s managed to calm down enough and isn’t in danger of spiraling, she lets go.

The siblings realize that everyone else has been watching them with varying expressions and reactions. Cinna and Portia look worried but unsure on whether they should voice it or not. Effie is confused like she can’t quite understand what just almost happened. Haymitch is clearly suspicious and looks as if he wants to ask what that was all about but the sound of the Capitol anthem playing has everyone turning their attention to the television screen.

The broadcast is starting.

Val and Katniss settle into the couch. They’re no longer as far away as can be but now sit as closely as possible and lean onto each other, grabbing hands tightly for support.

Their combined anxiety and fear muddles all the words coming out of Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith’s mouths as they begin listing off names and scores. The only glimpses of information they can comprehend are District numbers, tribute faces and the scores that are displayed.

District 1, Glimmer - 8. Marvel - 9.  
District 2, Clove - 10. Kai - 10.

Val squeezes Katniss’ hand tightly and she squeezes back.

District 3, Amber - 6. Noah - 6.  
District 4, Azora - 4. Sebastian - 8.

Val feels a brief flicker of surprise that the small, red haired boy could score so high. Then a flicker of hope that maybe the kids had a better chance of surviving than he originally thought.

District 5, Finch - 5. Dean - 7.

A scowl crosses Katniss’ face. Of course Fox Face would get such a score, one that wasn’t too high or too low but neutral. She was much craftier than originally believed. 

District 6, Tamora - 6. Jason - 7.  
District 7, Sienna - 4. Wallace - 3.

They both wince at the low scores for District 7. 

District 8, Savannah - 8, Lee - 7.  
District 9, Demetria - 7, Craigh - 6.  
District 10, Susan - 6, Timmer - 8.

Katniss’ hand tightens around Val’s when Rue’s face appears on the screen.

District 11, Rue - 7. Thresh - 9.

Her hand relaxes. It’s not a bad score. Not as high as Sebastian’s but definitely high enough that she managed to get the judges’ attention long enough for her to show off and increase her chances of survival. Even Thresh did well though that’s probably to be expected given that his muscles intimidated the judges’ enough to pay attention lest he throw some heavy weight at them or something.

Then their hands tighten around each other when Katniss’ face appears on screen. They both brace themselves for a devastatingly low score cause there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that they’ll be able to get even a neutral score like Finch did.

District 12, Katniss - 11. Valerian - 11.

Val and Katniss stare wide eyed in shock as Effie shrieks in excitement and Cinna and Portia offer congratulations at their scores which were the highest scores District 12 has ever gotten in the history of the Games. 

Haymitch snorts in amusement as he takes a sip of water. “Guess they liked your spunk after all.”

“Fire is all the rage nowadays. Reignites passion long thought lost,” Cinna chimes in with a devious smirk as Portia nods along like he had just spoken words of great wisdom.

Haymitch shakes his head with a smirk. Then he turns to the siblings who are both still trying to comprehend everything, like it’s all just a surreal moment that will immediately be rectified by either of the two Capitol announcers declaring that a mistake had been made and their real scores were actually 1 or something like that.

He clears his throat, making them jump as they turn their attention to him, expressions still somewhat dazed and confused.

“Got a hand it to you both, you’re performing leagues beyond even my limited expectations,” he says which prompts Katniss to open her mouth for a smart-ass remark. Haymitch holds his hand up to stop her as his expression becomes serious again and the two tense in preparation for whatever warning was going to come out of his mouth next.

“It’s great and all that you’ve got such high scores, the highest 12 has ever seen and the highest for these Games. But you’ve just got an even larger target painted on the both of you,” Haymitch warns, “The Careers will most definitely be advised to consider the two of you legitimate threats that must be handled with caution or as swiftly as possible. Your interviews tomorrow will be key in keeping the odds in your favor or swaying them away. So you two better go rest now cause tomorrow’s gonna be a long day.” 

With that, Haymitch gets up off his seat and leaves the room with an unflattering yawn. Cinna and Portia offer their congratulations again before leaving to retire for the night.

“We’ve got some surprises for the both of you so you better look forward to them,” Portia cheekily says with a wink as she and her brother walk out of the Penthouse with a wave good night.

Effie also offers her congratulations again, giving the both of them polite hugs and cheek kisses.

“Oh! I’m so honored to be your escort! You’ll surely make this year’s games the one to remember for the rest of Panem’s history,” she says before making her way to her room.

And then the two are alone on the couch, still holding each other's hands as the Capitol anthem continues to play in the background like an omen for their uncertain future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And scene! Evaluations are over, then we got the half chapter with Kai and Clove’s individual evaluations as my apology for getting this out so late, then we got the interviews which will also include various characters though more in a jump cut montage kind of way. And then we’ll finally get to the Games, hopefully before New Year’s but that’s not looking likely. Hope you guys are still enjoying the story though. Until next time!


	16. Judgment Day: The Judging of Kai and Clove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mini chapter of Kai and Clove's individual evaluations to add more insight into their characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is my apology chapter for being late with the actual chapter 14. A half chapter just for Kai and Clove’s individual evaluations which is meant to provide more character development for Clove and continue my attempts to make Kai into a sympathetic antagonist (as in an antagonist you can hate all you want but you at least understand where he’s coming from which is what I’m trying to go for). Hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

The door closes with a deafening click behind her that Clove involuntarily flinches at before mentally smacking herself for such an un-Career like action. She’s better than this, better than _them_.

She looks up at the viewing area to see all the judges sitting at attention in a semi circle around the Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane. Clove recognized Crane. When he first became a mentor for District 10 due to their lack of male Victors at the time, many in both the Districts and the Capitol were highly skeptical. They believed him to be another Arachne Crane in the making, that history would repeat itself and he would be killed dishonorably by his own tributes. 

However, against all odds, he managed to mentor just fine and even boosted viewership amongst the Capitol citizens for a time. His “contributions” allowed him to earn a promotion to Game Maker and it seems that he’s done well enough to be promoted again.

Still, something about him just made her shudder from disgust or even possibly fear? Or maybe it’s just her survival instincts when it comes to those in positions of authority kicking into overdrive. Clove thought she’d be over such base reactions when she made her escape but of course she completely forgot that everyone in the Capitol was in a higher position of power than those of the Districts.

Well, no matter. It’s just a simple oversight on her part that she can overlook once the Games actually begin. No need to get herself twisted into knots just yet. Not when she has yet to come up with a solid plan that allows her to use Kai and turn him against his own self. Brutus and Enobaria both failed at helping her come up with such a strategy but she supposes that’s a given since they both won their Games through brute force. Cunning and deception were definitely not either mentor’s strong suit.

Clove’s attention is drawn back to the hall when Crane gives her a nod and wave of his hand to begin. Her skin crawled at the many gazes traveling down her body as she turned and walked to the knife station.

Given that she didn’t want to spend any more time than she had to here, she made the decision to only show her knife wielding skills before calling it a day. She’ll just mix it up by beating a speed record or two and even hitting the random hanging targets that had been so thoughtfully strewn about the hall.

She examines the rack of knives before her, still doing her best to ignore the wandering gazes of the judges and not shift to block certain parts of her body from view. Even though she loathes the very thought, her body is one of her strongest weapons when it comes to getting sponsors.

After a moment, Clove grabs ten knives off the rack, bundling nine of them in her left hand and flipping the tenth in her right. She taps the simulator console and a digital timer appears in the air above her. She steadies herself as a countdown starts.

A buzzer sounds and Clove swiftly tosses her knives with efficiency at the holographic targets that run up and down and across the target zone. Each knife lands with deadly accuracy, covering the floor with the shattered pieces of holograms. Not even a moment later, a buzzer sounds, ending the simulation. She looks up and sees her time at exactly ten seconds, replacing the previous record of twelve seconds with congratulatory music.

Not wasting a second, Clove turns back to the knife rack, grabs another ten knives, and quickly positions herself at the center of the room. Then she swiftly tosses her knives at the random targets positioned all around the hall. Each knife lands perfectly in the center of the target except for a few that fall a bit short due to the considerably large distance between herself and those targets.

Finally, she’s out of knives and she turns to face the judges with a neutral expression, hands crossed behind her back as she stands at attention.

The judges are murmuring to each other with great interest. Crane is stroking his beard with an unnerving close-lipped smile on his face.

“That was a very unique display of your knife work, Ms. Fuhrman,” Crane purrs, voice dripping with honey. “Combined with your rather beautiful physique, you will certainly go far. I believe I speak for all of us when I say we look forward to what you’ll bring in this year’s Games.”

His tone and posture make Clove all kinds of uncomfortable because seriously, what is with the Capitol and their obsession with physical beauty. Did they all only ever think about sex, fashion, the Games, and nothing else? Actually, wait. She can definitely see how that could be. After all, the best propaganda and governing can do wonders on a society’s collective thought process. 

“Thank you very much for your compliments, Head Game Maker Crane,” Clove stiffly says as she gives a polite bow.

“You’re very welcome, Ms. Fuhrman. You are dismissed,” Crane says dismissively as he leans back in his seat and gestures for a nearby avox to pour him another glass of wine.

Clove holds back her desire to spit at them and quickly marches out of the hall, the stares following her even as the door closes behind her. 

She’s going to need a really long, really hot shower tonight.

Kai struts into the training hall with all the confidence of someone suffering from insecurities issues and is desperately trying to hide them behind threats of violence and a devilishly handsome smirk. He stands at attention in the center of the hall, basking in the praising gazes and low murmurs of interest coming from the judges sitting up high above him. Head Game Maker Crane sits in the center of the semicircle of judges like a king surrounded by his loyal subjects.

At the sight of Crane, Kai bites back a scowl. When Brutus told them the news that Crane had been made Head Game Maker, no one was happy, but none more so then Kai. Because while many believed Crane took after his distant relative, Arachne, his actions soon proved otherwise. They proved he was merciful, that he was soft. And that was a big no in Kai’s book. 

What use is a Game Maker who showed mercy for the sake of raising the viewership numbers? Who used underhanded tricks and complicated methods to turn a straightforward duel of honor and death into a show, a carnival of clowns. The Games should be kept simple, a fight against both man and nature to prove once and for all which District tribute stood superior above the rest. That should be enough of a draw in his opinion.

But regardless, he swallows his distaste because he needs to ace this evaluation. He needs to score higher than every other tribute in the running, higher than the Everdeens, higher than that brute from 11, and even higher than his own District partner. Which is a shame because if he and Clove had been partnered together under different circumstances or had even met before Evans could sink his claws into her, then they surely would’ve been... 

Kai is shaken from his thoughts when Crane gives a nod and dismissive wave to signal the start of his evaluation. He grins in response and marches over to the spear and sword stations, which just so happened to be conveniently placed next to each other.

As Kai grabs a spear off the rack, he’s glad that he’d been working on his upper body and core strength throughout his Academy years. Because if what he aims to do is to work, he needs to muster up all the strength he physically can.

He takes a deep breath and stands ready. He pulls his arm back and with all his strength, launches the spear through the air. Kai watches with complete satisfaction as the spear not only lands in the center of the target but also goes straight through with the spearhead coming out the other side.

He grabs another spear off the rack and launches it into and through the head of the same target to prove that it was not just a fluke. He turns to see the judges’ reactions and is pleased that many were now speaking to each other in excitement.

Kai looks away and walks to the sword station where he grabs a sword off the rack without even testing its weight. He marches towards a trio of dummies with a posture of utmost confidence to show that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Definitely. No insecurities here whatsoever.

Without missing a beat, Kai immediately starts swinging his blade with strength and precision. He methodically cuts the dummies into smaller pieces - hands, arms, forearms, heads, chests in three pieces. When he’s done, he re-racks the sword, not bothering to wipe the small amount of sweat that had gathered on his brow because to do so would show that his acts of strength actually did take a toll on him which in turn would be viewed as a weakness. And he will never, ever, be weak.

Kai walks back to the center of the room where all the judges are distinctly pleased by his display. He preens under the positive attention and once again questions Clove’s opinions of the Capitol citizens. 

How can their appreciative (yet roaming) gazes and wide (almost predatory) smiles at his skills and physique be anything but positive reinforcement? How can his partner think that compliments from these people are creepy or disgusting? She’s really spent far too much time with Evans. His father’s traitorous mindset had already infected her even though the family had been all purged like the scourge they were. Oh well. She’ll soon be released from the taint that had taken hold of her mind by Kai’s own hands. It’s the least he can do for her.

“Your show of strength is rather impressive, I must say,” Crane says appreciatively. “I don’t believe there has ever been a tribute who could even cut through, let alone place a sizable gash on any of the training mannequins.”

The other judges nod along with Crane’s words.

“This year’s games will be brutally exciting! Might even put Brutus’ year to shame!” one of the judges shouts out excitedly.

Kai preens at the positive attention, excited that the judges were comparing and even placing him in much higher prestige than his mentor. He smiles, ready to be dismissed so he can puff up like a proud peacock and taunt his stoic mentor with his results.

“Or maybe it will be a truly marvelous blood bath! Just like Cayden’s year!” another judge eagerly throws out. “I know many of my fellow citizens had been greatly disappointed when he was found to be a traitor and executed. They had been hoping for a replacement from 2 ever since!”

And just like that, his mood instantly sours. The proud smile replaced with a harsh scowl that has some of the judges confused at his sudden mood swing. When Crane finally dismisses him, Kai bows as politely as he should before sneering and giving them the stink eye.

Then he storms out in a huff which makes some of the judges sniff at his poor attitude towards the elite while others merely comment that it’s his brutish attitude that makes him a winner.

It’s only those last few comments that help brighten his mood and remind him that he’s still better than all the other tributes if even the judges know he’s a winner. And that’s exactly what he is. A winner. 

Because he never loses. 

Because he’s a winner. 

Because he can’t be anything but.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now the evaluations are actually over. Hope you guys enjoyed this little side chapter featuring Kai and Clove. I’m trying my hand at making sympathetic antagonists and I’m not too sure I’m doing it right but I sure hope I am. Whelp, regardless, the interviews are next so look forward to that cause it will definitely, for sure, be out before New Year’s. Until next time!


	17. It's Showtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's interview time and the emotions that both Val and Katniss have kept bottled up inside since the beginning spill over in a fantastic and sobering fashion. But you know what they say, best not to leave things unsaid before you're sent to your death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Happy New Year! I’d like to apologize for breaking my promise on getting this chapter out before the new year but hey, at least I got it out on new years? Also, I got a bit too caught up in my goodbyes to 2020 so yeah. That’s really my only excuse. So here’s a new chapter, which is the last one before we finally get to the Games, to help ring in the hopefully brighter future of 2021!
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

“That’s it! I quit!”

Val looks up from the book he’s reading to see Katniss storm out, barefoot and in a shiny dress, as Effie follows after her with a pair of 6 inch heels in her hands.

“You cannot simply quit!” Effie shrills out as she brandishes the heels like a weapon. 

“Yes, I can!” Katniss snaps back.

Effie huffs. “No you cannot. “How else will you be able to charm the citizens of the Capitol into becoming your sponsors? Especially considering you’re rather...lacking ability in eloquence and sophistication.”

“Isn’t that just a fancy way of saying I’m not charming enough and can’t speak politely even if my life depended on it?” Katniss growls out, completely done with what sounds like a continuing argument that’s been going on for a while.

“Well I hate to break it to ya darling, but your life does depend on it,” Haymitch drawls out, drawing their attention.

Katniss scowls and stomps over to where Val lounges across a couch and promptly dumps herself onto his lap but actually lands on his stomach. He lets out a gasp as the air is unceremoniously pushed out of him.

“There’s literally two feet of space left on this couch and you still choose to sit on me?” he chokes out as he glares at her in annoyance while shoving at her.

She scootches off him with a huff and enters a stare down with Effie which has Haymitch palming at his face in exasperation.

“Alright, I think it’s time for a quick swap to let everyone breath and not murder each other,” he says with a pointed look at Katniss and Effie. Then he turns to Val and gestures for him to go to Effie. “Come on, boy. Go with the cream puff and work on your walk before your sister decides it’s a good idea to murder the District 12 escort.”

Val shrugs and puts the book down before following Effie who marches off with a huff and back to where the girls had been practicing. Katniss sighs in relief and starts to make her escape. However, she’s stopped by Haymitch giving her a look.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of training missy. You and I need to have a talk.”

Katniss groans and goes to sit in the seat across from Haymitch, crossing her arms and pouting like she’s a kid who just got called to the principal’s office.

“So what seems to be the problem?” he asks, expression carefully neutral.

“The problem? The _problem_?” Katniss asks incredulously like she can’t even believe he just asked her that. She jumps out of her seat and starts pacing, hands making frantic gestures and tone growing more hysterical as she continues to speak. “The problem is everything! The Games, the Reaping, the Parade, the Training, the Evaluation, and now this! This prepping for interviews where I have to say please and thank you in my best polite tone and I need to cross my legs when I sit and wear a dress and fucking high heels, be the cute little girl I am absolutely not, and pretend like I’m happy to be sent to this fancy ass city to die or to see my brother die when all I want is to murder every Capitol citizen in Panem! That’s my problem!”

She pants from exertion when her rant ends. Haymitch doesn’t respond, merely watching her as he processes everything she had just unloaded onto him.

“There’s a lot to unpack here,” he finally says.

Katniss snorts as she drops back onto her seat. “Yeah, no shit.”

“But unfortunately for you, there’s nothing you can do about it, sweet cheeks. So you better put on your best smile and fake it till you make it,” he nonchalantly says as he leans back in his seat with a sarcastic grin.

“Could you be anymore unhelpful?” she asks, ticked off.

Haymitch shrugs. “I am being helpful.”

“How? By telling me I gotta suck it up to those brain dead crayons and act all nice, polite girl with my please and thank you’s and happy to be here’s? By letting them expose every single thing about my life, my family, _Peeta_?” she snarks with crossed arms and a scowl.

“Yup!”

Her scowl deepens. “Why can’t I just be the brooding bad ass who’s all silent and mysterious and crap?”

Haymitch sighs wearily. “Cause that “crap” only works if you’re a guy, unfortunately. And newsflash honey, you need to work another angle and I think I speak for the both of us when I say it should be any angle but the sex appeal and charm angle cause you can’t do girly crap to save your life and you have the charm of a dead slug.”

“Gee thanks. Why don’t you keep rubbing that salt in?”

“But even if you can’t do that shit to save your own life, what about your brother’s? Or did you already forget your goal here?”

Katniss slumps in her seat, her once snarky attitude now subdued and weary.

“You managed to convince me to stay sober because all you wanted to do was save your brother and give him the happiness that he continually sacrificed in order for you to have your own.” Haymitch continues now that he has a foothold. “So remember that and use it as your motivation. You don’t have to like these people, hell you don’t even have to pretend to like em cause if the scoring was any indication, they like your spunk, though hell if I know why.”

“So what do you want me to do?” she asks, tone surprisingly meek.

“I need you to use it. Sex appeal and charm are obviously off the table, and so are many other tried and true angles. But that doesn’t mean we can’t come up with a new one,” Haymitch patiently explains.

Katniss perks up, now intrigued. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well...the Capitol likes your fire. So let’s give them fire. Let loose, go nuts, swear up a storm and be the uncivilized person that you are. But be smart about it. They wanna ask about your family? Well tell them how you’ll defend them with every fiber of your being and threaten any who dare to even think about hurting them. They wanna talk about your love life? Well you don’t have to kiss and tell right? A woman’s allowed her secrets,” he explains. 

“But what about that question they always ask every tribute? The one about what they’re hoping to achieve with the Games?” she asks.

Haymitch’s expression turns deadly serious. “That will be the one and only time you need to be completely honest. You need to let everyone know that you’re fighting to save your brother, to thank him for the sacrifices he’s made for you, and your wishes for him to finally get the happiness that he purposely alluded for your own sake.”

She frowns. “That sounds good and all...But won’t that backfire horribly when Val gets on stage? You know how he’ll respond when he’s asked the same thing, especially if they try to bring my answer into the whole shebang.”

Haymitch nods. “And that’s exactly what I’m banking on.”

“Huh?”

“You two are siblings so unfortunately I can’t do a star-crossed lovers angle,” he says, chuckling at Katniss’ disgusted expression. “And we most certainly do not want to stick a rivalry image on you guys, not after all the effort of having you show a united front.”

She nods along in understanding.

“So instead, we’re gonna make your situation as tragic as possible in order to garner as much sympathy as we can. Cause if there’s one thing the Capitol folk love as much as a good love story, it’s a good sob story. They’ll eat that shit right up,” Haymitch finishes with a grin.

Katniss leans back in her seat, thoughtfully. While she doesn’t like the idea of possibly jinxing her and Val by setting up their narrative into a tragedy, she does like the appeal of not having to filter or change herself in order to pander or fit a narrative that just isn’t her.

“Alright. Cool. Yeah. I can do that. Be myself but be smart about when I need to filter and when I need to be honest. Yeah. Sounds like a plan, boss man.”

Haymitch grimaces at the nickname. “Never call me that again.”

Katniss grimaces as well. “Yeah, no. Forget I ever called you that.”

She then stands and stretches out before subtly moving towards the living quarters and away from where Effie had been training her. “Alright. If we’re done here, I’m just gonna head back to my room now and-”

“Hold it,” Haymitch says sharply, pinning her down with a stare. “Just because we came up with a game plan doesn’t mean you get out of Effie’s training. She may be an airheaded cream puff, but she does know what she’s talking about when it comes to presentation.”

“But I thought-” Katniss tries to protest. Haymitch holds up a hand to stop her. 

“I gave you permission on how you should speak, not how you should sit and walk. Now go get your brother and resume your training with Effie.”

Katniss scowls and stomps off to where Effie had dragged her brother off.

“And don’t come back until you can walk the length of the hallways in high heels without stumbling!” Haymitch shouted back at her.

She flips him off and he laughs.

“So...”

“So...”

Val fidgets uncomfortably as Haymitch pins him with a soul searching stare.

“Well I’m glad the little time you spent with Effie is paying off,” Haymitch comments as Val sits with a straight spine, squared shoulders, level gaze, and hands held together in the lap of his crossed legs.

“Even though I would like to never hear another word come out of her mouth, she does know what she’s talking about when it comes to proper presentation in the Capitol,” Val responds.

“Good, good,” Haymitch nods appreciatively, “Now all we gotta do is come up with your game plan for the interview and that means coming up with an angle.”

“And I’m assuming you already have one in mind?”

“The angle that you're gonna go for is the loving older brother who would do anything to save his sister, even if it means sacrificing his life. It’ll be a true tragedy for the ages,” he says dramatically despite the flat tone of his voice.

Val had been nodding along with Haymitch’s explanation until he heard the word tragedy.

“What!” he explodes. “Tragedy! What the hell are you getting at, Abernathy? Are you trying to jinx us or something?”

Haymitch scowls. “No I am not. Despite what you may think of me, it took a long time to come up with a plausible angle that would grant you both the highest amount of sympathy as well as temper any fires that you may have started.”

Val frowns. “What does that mean?”

“Just means I’d rather not see you two burn out before your time,” Haymitch shrugs before chuckling, “Guess you could say I’ve gotten attached.”

Val softens but…“That still doesn’t answer my question. What do you mean temper fires we may have started?”

Haymitch rubs at the back of his head, clearly debating on whether he should give an honest response or not. He sighs. “Look. Even though it may not have felt like it, your actions from when you first volunteered to now...they’ve had an impact.”

Val is silent, thoughts racing. “What kind of impact?” he finally asks softly, almost scared to know the answer.

“Let’s just say, you need to be very careful how you tread from now on. Your actions, whether purposeful or not, are slowly building up to a fallout that you and your family will never be ready for,” Haymitch explains.

“And that’s why you’re trying to turn our situation into a potential tragedy. Garner enough sympathy from the Capitol citizens and we’ll have a buffer between the President and our family,” Val concludes, visibly paling because the one thing he had been fighting for ever since he was given a second chance. His anonymity which protected the Everdeens from the consequences of his father’s actions, it was all moot if he, himself, was following in the footsteps of the rebel, Cayden Evans. Whether inadvertently or not, it wouldn’t matter, especially not to President Snow.

Haymitch nods, expression grave. “So when you’re up there, no matter what you hear from Katniss’ interview, you better play your role of self-sacrificing and loving brother to a T. Be as honest and charming as you want, but your end goal is ideally the sympathy of the entire Capitol general populace. Have that and I promise you that your sister and family will be protected from any future ramifications, even if I have to give up the bottle forever just to ensure it.”

Val leans back heavily in his seat, still shocked but coherent enough to contemplate Haymitch’s words.

“Why are you doing this?” he finally asks.

“What do you mean?” Haymitch asks back curiously.

“Why are you being so helpful?” Val clarifies, “All this advice, all these warnings, and a promise to protect not just my sister but my family? Where was this for the past twenty three years? Why now? Why us?”

Haymitch leans back in his seat. He taps at his water glass thoughtfully. “I guess...seeing you two together, the way you interact with each other and towards others...it just reminded me of something that I thought I lost forever.” After that, he falls silent, clearly done with the impromptu Q and A.

Val looks down at his hands and swallows thickly, a lump suddenly in his throat from the torrent of emotions warring inside of him. A heavy silence falls like a weighted blanket upon them.

A distant shriek of outrage followed by the clatter of what sounds like high heels against a wall startles the two out of their depressive funk.

Haymitch chuckles sardonically. “You should probably go rescue your sister before she ends up being arrested for murder. You both will need an hour or two to gather yourselves before we send you off to your stylists for tonight.”

Val nods, grateful for the chance to recuperate from their conversation. As he gets up to leave, he pauses when he hears Haymitch place his glass on the table with a loud clink. He looks up to see Haymitch looking back with an expression torn between grim and melancholic.

“Remember, boy. Tread carefully. Especially if you want your sister to live a long and happy life.” 

Val gives a sharp nod, lips pressed thin and face still somewhat pale. He rushes off to go get his sister, thankful for the distraction even though it sounded like she was cursing a storm and one step away from murdering their poor escort. 

Standing outside the door, he braces himself for Hurricane Katniss...only to retreat immediately when high heels started hurtling his way as soon as he opens the door. It was a day too early to be having near death experiences.

And now he kind of wishes that he’d braved the storm earlier today because death by high heel to the head sounded a lot quicker than being choked out by a tie. 

Val tugs nervously at his dark red tie, desperately trying to loosen the tight knot so he can _breathe_. Goddammit. Why can’t he breathe? Was the knot really that tight? Or maybe the reason he can’t breathe is because of his anxiety over his family’s future. 

“You keep pulling that tie any looser and it’s going to fall right off.”

Val looks up to see an amused Cinna approaching him.

“Sorry,” Val apologizes sheepishly, “I just...can’t seem to breathe is all. Think the tie’s too tight. Any chance I can just wear it loosely?”

“No can do, boy on fire,” Cinna says as he readjusts Val’s tie back into a proper knot. “You have a very specific image to convey and unfortunately, that does not include looking too cool for school or like you went one too many rounds with a bottle.”

Val grimaces and starts to fidget with the edges of his jacket sleeves instead. Cinna notes the nervous tick as he smooths down the lapels of the jacket.

“Hey, hey, hey. What’s up with all this nervous energy? I thought you were completely prepared for tonight?” he asks, placing comforting hands to ground Val back to reality.

“I am,” Val responds, still looking everywhere but at Cinna.

Cinna does not look convinced. “Alright. Then why aren’t you looking me in the eye?”

Val quickly glances at Cinna to make eye contact for a moment, before his gaze darts away and takes up a sudden interest in a vase of red gladiolus flowers. Cinna sighs and gently places his hands on Val’s to make them stop their fidgeting.

“Val,” Cinna begins with the utmost seriousness in his tone, “Do you consider me a friend?”

Val nods hesitantly at the question. 

“Then know that you can tell me what is on your mind and I will never judge nor report you for it.”

Val presses his lips together into a thin line in thought before he sighs. “It’s just some stuff Haymitch said is all,” he finally mumbles out, “It’s just got me nervous about the interview and second guessing every possible answer my brain can come up with.”

Cinna hums at his response. “And why did what Haymitch said suddenly make you nervous? From the few days I’ve known you, I can tell you’re a very intuitive and empathetic person, Val. As long as you do what comes natural to you, then your interview will go well...But it’s not just that is it?”

Val shakes his head.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

Val bites his lip, reluctant to respond. But Cinna’s kind and open expression convinces him that maybe it won’t be such a bad idea.

“It’s just...everything’s moving so fast and...” Val pauses, continuing on only when Cinna nods encouragingly, “My actions...I only had to worry about the consequences they would have on myself and now I’m learning that what I do, what I say, they won’t just hurt me anymore but also everyone I care about.”

Cinna takes a moment to process what he said. “That’s a very heavy burden for you to carry, especially at your age.”

Val huffs. “You’re telling me.”

“And unfortunately, with the way the Capitol is, that burden will not lighten with a few well placed words or well thought out actions.”

“So then...what should I do?” Val asks, helplessly.

Cinna tightens his grip on Val’s hands. “You just be yourself. Your true, honest, unfiltered self. The brother who would do anything to protect his sister’s happiness and his family’s well-being, even if it means fighting the whole Capitol by yourself,” he responds, smiling gently, “And if you feel the burden start to weigh you down, then don’t be afraid to seek me out in the crowd. I’ve gotten invested in you, boy on fire,” he chuckles, “So don’t you forget for even a second that you’re not alone in your fight.”

Val’s heart clenches at the genuine kindness that seems to exude out of Cinna. How can a man who is Capitol born and bred, be so kind and giving to a stranger he’s only known for a few days and will most likely die within the next few?

“Now come on,” Cinna says as he lets go of Val’s hands, “I need to get the finishing touches for your outfit done.”

“Are you going to tell me what the surprise is?” Val asks as Cinna herds him back to the full length mirrors that were set up in the center of the room.

Cinna smiles all mysterious like as he cheekily replies, “Well that would just spoil the surprise wouldn’t it? But don’t worry, it will certainly be one the Capitol won’t forget.”

“Hello citizens of Panem!” Caesar Flickerman shouts out as he does his best impression of a game show host and circus ringmaster. “I am your host for tonight, Caesar Flickerman!”

The audience gives a resounding applause as Caesar bows before them with a large smile stretching his face.

“Without further ado, let us begin the interviews!” he shouts before holding a hand out towards stage left. “Let’s see if she does indeed shine as bright as her name implies. Let’s give a warm round of applause for Glimmer!”

Glimmer, dressed in a pink, glittery sleeveless dress with a tight bodice that accentuates her chest and a fluffy, short skirt that makes her legs seem to run for days, flounces onto the stage with a wide smile and a giddy wave at the audience.

“So Glimmer,” Caesar says once they’re both seated, “Are you prepared?”

“Oh definitely, Caesar! I don’t think I’ve ever been more prepared for anything in my life!” she gushes out without a second thought.

Caesar laughs out loud. “I like it! I like your lack of hesitation! Really speaks of your conviction.”  
~~~  
“And now let’s give a bid round of applause for the boy of wonder, Marvel!” Caesar shouts out as he holds up Marvel’s hand like a champ.

Marvel, in his baby blue suit, raises his other hand up as he lets out a loud and exaggerated whoop that has the audience screaming in excitement.  
~~~  
Clove, dressed in a tasteful, sleeveless dress made up of many different wisps of pink fabric, walks confidently onto the stage where Caesar takes hold of her hand.

“Welcome Clove,” he says as he places a delicate kiss on her hand.

Clove giggles at the gesture as the two sit down.

“So tell us what motivated you enough to toss your hat into the ring? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a volunteering more aggressive than yours before. I’m pretty sure half the nation winced when they saw those teeth fly out of that girl’s mouth,” Caesar asks, nonchalantly but still genuinely curious.

“Well Caesar, that’s a very loaded question, but I’d be happy to answer it!” Clove responds which has the audience cheering in encouragement and excitement.

“Initially, I wanted to volunteer to escape a bad situation I was in and then that later evolved into fighting for a higher cause, for something that’s bigger than myself,” she explains as Caesar and the audience nod along in understanding. “Now I want to claim the higher honor presented to me that will put me above the lowly people who dared to try and chain me down back home,” she almost growls out, “When, not if, but when I win, I will be able to return to my District with the highest honor possible that I’ll be able to flaunt all I want in _their faces_ for the rest of their living lives.”

“That is very admirable Clove. I think I speak for all of us here when I say I look forward to how you would conduct yourself on your Victory Tour,” Caesar says sincerely as the audience nods along. Some audience members even wipe away a tear or two as Clove smiles out to them.  
~~~  
“And what about you, Kai?” Caesar asks, “Do you have similar motivations or aspirations as your District partner?”

Kai, lounging casually in his black suit with gold accents and slightly unbuttoned shirt, smiles widely, teeth and all, like a shark who’s just been presented his prey on a gold platter.

“Sorry Caesar, but my motivations are different then Clove’s. In fact, I’d say they’re on an entirely different level much higher than her’s,” he responds dismissively.

“Oh? Pray tell what it is?” Caesar asks, as he and the audience lean in, curious for the answer.

Kai smirks. “While it’s admirable that Clove wants to win so she can show how no one can ever chain her down, my goal is to prove myself.”

“That doesn’t too different from what many tributes have wanted to achieve before. What makes you stand out among them?”

“See, that’s exactly it. It’s hard representing my District when so many Victors have come from it. That’s why I’m going to prove that I’m different, that I’m better, no, that I’m the best! So that no one can ever be compared to me because I will be above them. I will finally be my own person, my own ideal image of a Victor, and everyone who’s ever looked down on me will now have to look up as I stand above them.”

“Let’s give a brilliant round of applause to the man with a plan, the boy with no fear, Kai!” Caesar shouts out as he raises Kai’s hand up like a champ. Kai raises his other hand up like Marvel did but instead of shouting, he merely grins with a devilishly handsome smirk that has the audience going more nuts than they had for the previous three tributes.  
~~~  
“Even though I believe alliances can be beneficial to everyone involved, I would still prefer to go it alone. Because then, no matter the situation, I only have to think about myself and no one else. Plus, there’s the fact that I’ll have more resources if it’s just me, myself, and I,” Finch explains as Caesar nods along with a somewhat bored expression.

“That’s a very efficient way of thinking, Finch. You sound very resourceful indeed,” he responds.

“Efficiency is key after all. Even though it’d be much easier to just kill everyone on the get go, realistically speaking, those who play the long game are the ones who ultimately stand at the top in the end,” she says with a predatory smile that finally sparks some interest in Caesar.  
~~~  
Rue skips onto the stage in her shimmering white dress with a multi-layered shirt that gives her the appearance of an angel. Caesar and the audience coo at her.

“Folks! It seems we’ve got an angel in our midst and she’s gonna charm the pants off of us all if we’re not too careful!” he laughs out and the audience cheers in response.

Rue giggles as Caesar gently guides her onto her seat and then begins to question her with extreme delicacy and indulgence that he seemed to only reserve for the youngest tributes.  
~~~  
Katniss stands nervously in the wings as she sees Thresh escorted onto the stage. She uses all of her will power to refrain from looking back at her brother as an assistant arrives to lead her away to the stairs leading up to the stage.

Her breaths are the only thing she hears as she anxiously waits for her turn. Her hands are clenched tightly at the long red skirt of her dress.

“And now from District 12! You all know her name! Please welcome, Katniss!”

Katniss takes a deep breath and plasters on a wide smile as she walks onto the stage, somehow managing to not trip on her heels. The audience gasps in awe at her beautiful, silk red dress with a slip of red orange fabric crawling over one shoulder like a flame and a flare at the bottom. Caesar takes her by the hand and gives her a few spins which make flames burst out from the ends of her dress which absolutely delights him and the audience who scream at the display.

“Whoo! You are definitely the girl on fire, my dear,” Caesar compliments as he leads Katniss to her seat.

She smirks as she leans back casually in her chair. “Well you know what they say about fire. Better not play with it or you’ll get burned.”

Caesar and the audience laugh at her words, taking glee at the snarky edge of her tone.

“I think it’s already too late for that!” he jokes as he pantomimes being burned by her mere presence to the audience’s amusement. “So tell me, Katniss. How about that score, huh? An eleven. Care to share how you got it?”

The audience cheers on in encouragement. Katniss waves at them dismissively and smiles secretively. “Sorry folks, but I don’t kiss and tell.”

Caesar plays along and says, “No. No. I get it. A woman has to have her secrets after all.”

The audience jokingly boos and Katniss playfully sticks her tongue out and flips them off which has them laughing in response. 

“Now I’ve got to ask, Katniss,” he says with the utmost seriousness a host should have, “About your family. I think I speak for all of us here when I say my heart goes out to you, your brother, and that little girl who I’m assuming is your younger sister.”

Katniss’ breath catches in her throat. “Prim,” she chokes out, “Her name is Prim. Our darling little Primrose.”

Caesar nods. “Of course, of course. Tell me, Katniss, what were your thoughts when your brother volunteered? I mean were you thinking about unbreakable alliances or bitter sibling rivalries? And I hope you don’t mind me asking you this since your situation is very unique and all of us here would love to know what was going on through your mind since you’ve been reaped.”

Now she can’t breathe. Her throat’s constricting as a million thoughts run through her head because she doesn’t know what she can say. She knows she needs to be honest, but honesty could get her killed. It could get her brother killed. And she can’t have that. Caesar, noticing that she’s struggling to answer, places a hand over her own and squeezes it gently. It’s supposed to be comforting but Katniss’ skin crawls slightly at the touch and it’s enough for her to snap back to the present. 

“W-well I-” she chokes out before clearing her throat and trying again, “Everything I’ve ever done, has been for my family. Of course I want to win, to fight so I can go back home to them but more importantly...I want to fight so that my brother can go home. When he volunteered to sa- I mean, when he volunteered, all I could think about was what the fuck, Val? Why are you being the fucking martyr again, trying to put my happiness over your own? I thought you were over that shit already? It made me so angry to see him continue to deny his own happiness again but most of all, I was angry at the fact that I understood him, because that’s just the kind of person he is. He’s done so much for me and I want to, no I need to repay him for that.” Then a hard, almost threatening edge appears in her tone as she declares, “And an Everdeen never lets a debt go unpaid.” 

Caesar is uncharacteristically silent as the audience sighs and moans along sadly. “Do you mind if I ask what exactly he’s done for you to owe him so much that you’d be willing to sacrifice everything for him?” he finally asks, still somewhat shaken at her display of loyalty and love.

She is also shaken but powers through regardless. She’s already come this far, might as well get it all out into the open now when she knows it’ll provide her with an advantage, even though she finds it distasteful to use her relationship with Val in such a manipulative way. 

“Let’s just say, I was at a low point in my life once. Just struggling to hold everything together, and failing rather epically might I add, like for fuck’s sake, I was just a goddamn mess back then,” she says which gets some giggling out of the audience, “And he was just there. Always strong, always dependable, and shining so brightly like a guiding star in a pitch black sky. I don’t know where I’d be today if it weren’t for him. Probably lying dead in a ditch somewhere,” she chuckles sardonically.

Caesar gently pats her hand in comfort as he leans back in his chair with a sympathetic expression. “Well it’s too bad the both of you can’t win. I think everyone would’ve loved to see that.”

“Yeah...too fucking bad,” she says softly, her hands clenched tightly around each other as she follows Caesar’s lead in standing up and letting him lift her hand up.

“The girl on fire, everyone!” he shouts as the audience screams and cries out her name.

She’s in a daze as she’s led off stage right and down to the wings where Haymitch, Portia, and Effie wait. Haymitch places a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention to him.

“I-I...I didn’t mean to say so much out there,” she mutters shakily, “Those were always just thoughts swirling in my head. I’ve never actually voiced them out like that before, especially not to Val. And holy shit,” she says as her eyes grow wide with panic, “I just aired all that out in front of the entire nation. Fuck.”

Haymitch grimaces and shrugs. “Whether you meant to say it or not, you still did a fine job out there. Now all that’s left is for your brother to deliver and then all you two need to worry about it surviving the arena.”

Katniss nods silently as Haymitch steps back and lets Portia pull her into a comforting hug. She clutches back tightly as Portia’s smooth voice washes over her in comfort.  
~~~  
In the wings, Val is shaken and he’d very much like to confront Katniss over what she just said but he can’t. Because an assistant appeared to lead him to the stairs going up onto the stage. 

“Let’s not forget the other half of their dynamic duo! I give you, the boy on fire! Come on up, Valerian!”

Val quickly takes a few deep breaths to steady himself before plastering on his most charming smile as he walks onto the stage, waving at the audience as he makes his way to Caesar.

“Are your clothes also going to catch on fire?” Caesar jokingly says.

Val smirks in response and twists the special cufflinks Cinna had pointed out to him. Sparks travel down the length of his black, formal trench coat, accentuating it with lines of red, orange, and yellow. Underneath the coat are black slacks, a dark red vest over a white button up, and a dark red tie to tie it all together. He then gives a fun little twirl which has the ends of his coat also flare out with flames briefly before he ends with a silly little pose. 

Caesar claps ecstatically at the display while the audience goes completely nuts. “You two really are the siblings on fire!” he shouts out with a laugh as Val relaxes his pose and sits down in the chair when directed.

“So Valerian-”

“Please, call me Val. All my friends do,” Val interrupts Caesar with a friendly smile.

“Alright then, _Val_ ,” Caesar responds jovially, “I’ve asked your sister about how she got her score but she was of course, understandably tightlipped about it. Now I’ve got to ask you the same. How did you do it?”

“Sorry Caesar, but just like my sister, I gotta give a pass on this. We, Everdeens, don’t kiss and tell after all,” Val responds jokingly.

Caesar waves dismissively. “Well I had to try anyway.” Then his expression turns serious. “Now Val. We’ve heard from your sister, her thoughts about the Reaping and your volunteering. We’d like to hear from you in return. Were your motivations just as noble as proclaimed? Or are you just in it for the chance to swipe the glory away when she’s least expecting it?”

“Well if I told you that the second option was my plan all along, that’d take away the element of surprise wouldn’t it?” Val jokingly asks. Caesar looks out at the audience who laugh in response, especially when he points jokingly at Val and mouths ‘funny guy’. Val smiles indulgently before it becomes tinged with melancholy. “But no, I guess if I’m being honest, my intentions are not as noble as you might think. They’re rather selfish in fact.” 

“Oh? Care to elaborate?” Caesar asks, leaning closer in curiosity. Val swallows at that, fear and anxiety suddenly overtaking him because it was now the moment of truth. What he said next could make or break everything. 

Quickly, Val glances out into the audience, desperately searching the crowd until his gaze lands upon Cinna who gives an encouraging nod. He points two fingers up at his eyes as if to remind Val that he can rely on him if he needs it. Val’s eyes convey his gratefulness as he turns his attention back to Caesar and calmly explains, “While my sister may have rather naive intentions for wanting to help me win, I in turn want my sister to win because of all the good her family’s done for me.” 

“Her family? I thought you were both family?”

“I’m actually adopted,” Val says as Caesar looks at him in sympathy, “My family passed away due to an unfortunate accident and I was forced to survive on my own for a while. But then Katniss’ father, well our father now technically, offered me a second chance. And ever since, I’ve been working to repay them. That sort of life debt isn’t something that’s so easily repaid though.”

“And that’s why you volunteered at the Reaping. So you could make sure your sister won and thus your debt is repaid,” Caesar finishes, understanding dawning on his face.

“Well that’s part of the reason,” Val interjects, continuing at Caesar’s silent prompting, “You see, I wasn’t just volunteering for my sister, but also for Peeta. See, he’s my sister’s longtime partner, they were even talking about getting married when they got older.” 

The audience coos.

“When he was reaped, all I could think was that my little sister, who could’ve turned more jaded and cold than she already is if it weren’t for him, was now going to have to fight against and possibly watch the love of her life die. And while I’m sure many of you love a good star crossed lovers story, I couldn’t allow it.” he says as the audience nods along cause they would find a star crossed lovers story in the Games utterly fascinating but the story playing out before them by the Everdeen siblings was just as fascinating, if not more. 

Val’s tone takes a sharp edge as he finishes speaking his thoughts, “I will do anything, anything, to protect her happiness. Even if it means sacrificing myself just to make sure she gets to go home and have the fairy tale ending she always thought she could never have.”

Caesar is visibly shaken by the time Val stops speaking. Like he can’t believe the range of genuine emotion and heartfelt devotion that had just appeared on his stage after years of fake laughs, fake smiles, fake bravado, fake _everything_.

“But what about you? What about your happiness and your fairy tale ending?” he asks.

Val smiles sadly. “It’s already too little, too late for me. We spent too long playing will we, won’t we because we both thought we had time. Then we didn’t. And while I’ll always regret not swallowing up the courage to do something sooner, I know I won’t have any more regrets as long as my sister makes it out of that arena alive.”

Caesar nods along sadly. “Well if it’s any consolation, we are all sympathetic to your plight,” he says as he waves out to the audience who nod along with the sentiment. Many are openly sobbing and blowing their noses into silk handkerchiefs. “I wish you and your sister the best of luck.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Caesar says, voice more soft and less boisterous as he raises Val’s hand up to the air, “The boy on fire, Val.”

Val shakily walks off stage and down the wings towards where the little congregation for 12 gathered. Before he can say or do anything, he’s immediately met with a faceful of Hurricane Katniss.

“What the fuck was that, Val?” she demands, her expression declaring her intention to punch him in the face if she didn’t like his answer.

“Wha-” he tries to say but she doesn’t bother to let him finish, instead raining down her fists as he holds his arms up to defend against her hits.

“Why’d you have to go and say all that shit you jerk! Stop trying to say you wanna save me, protect my happiness. It makes me look weak and how am I supposed to protect you if everyone thinks I’m weak! And you had no right to bring Peeta into this, no right at all!” she shouts because even though she’s mad at his self-sacrificing ways, she’s even more angry at the fact that he just casually revealed the one thing she wanted to keep close to her heart. “They have no right to know about him and you have even less right to bring him up!”

Val, having enough of her fists, grabs at her wrists to stop her assault. “Well then you shouldn’t have said you wanted to help me win! Cause what the hell, Katniss. How the hell am I supposed to protect you now that you’ve made me out to be some self-sacrificing idiot that no one should put any money on! Hell, how are you supposed to protect yourself when you don’t think before you speak! You just painted an even larger target on you! ” he shouts back, matching her glare for glare. 

Neither sibling wants to back down because to admit defeat was to concede to the other’s plan to sacrifice themselves for the other.

“Alright you two, that’s enough!” Haymitch snaps irritably as he forcibly separates the siblings from each other. “Listen here and listen good, this was all part of my plan to make the two of you more desirable, more sympathetic. Now that the whole Capitol’s in tears over your tragic sob stories, you both will have sponsors eating out of the palm of your hands.”

Both siblings try to protest. “But-” 

“What did I just say?” he barks out, making the protests die before another word could be said. Haymitch sighs and rubs at the back of his head. 

“Look, if you need someone to blame, you can blame me. It was my plan after all. But I think there’s more to it than just that,” he says with an intuitive glance that makes the siblings feel exposed. “I know you two probably don’t want any more advice from me but I really think you should go cool off and talk it out cause it ain’t good to still be stewing in whatever unsaid issues you’ve got going on before you’re shipped off to the arena.”

The siblings are then reluctantly herded back up to their rooms by Portia, Cinna, and Effie as Haymitch glares down at the flask he pulled out of his pocket. He takes a quick swig, grimacing as he quickly swallows down the water and imagines it to be vodka instead. When this was all over, he was definitely going to reward himself for his efforts with a bottle or twenty.

Val leans against the railing as he takes in the sight of the Capitol skyline. The blinding lights are now in different shades of red, orange, and yellow, making the city look like it’s on fire. The wind is once again whistling around him though he can still clearly hear the sound of the rooftop door opening and closing.

“Guess we gotta talk now, huh?”

He glances over to his right to see Katniss leaning against the railing beside him. The city lights shine against her, giving her an almost ethereal glow. He returns his gaze back out to the city.

“Guess we do.”

But neither sibling actually starts to speak after that acknowledgement. They’re merely content to let everything boil over until the moment when they can no longer contain the emotions within them. And that moment comes rather quickly as the pot had already been boiling ever since they first arrived.

“I’m still not happy with the fact that you’re still trying to protect me out of some misguided attempt at fulfilling a life debt that doesn’t exist,” Katniss says.

“It may not exist to you but it does to me,” Val responds, “And if we’re talking about things that make us unhappy, I’m still not happy that you’re the one trying to sacrifice yourself for me.”

“Well I can take care of myself, Val. You don’t have to keep worrying about me and I don’t need you to keep trying to be my older brother out to shield me from all the horrors of the world. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a little too late for that,” she shoots back irritably.

“I’m never going to stop worrying about you. That’s just what older brothers do. They protect the people they care for.”

She closes her eyes to try and stop the tears that were welling up in her eyes. “Then can you at least, just this once, please think about yourself and what you _want_ to do instead of doing what you think you _need_ to.”

“What I want to do and what I need to do aren’t mutually exclusive, Katniss. You already have everything that I’ve wished for when I was young and that’s enough for me, to see you achieve that happiness. I’m already satisfied at having lived to be eighteen because back then, I didn’t think I’d be able to live to eleven.”

She frowns, turning to give him a pointed look that he turns to meet. “Then can you at least promise not to worry so much? Just trust in the fact that I can take care of myself so you just worry about taking care of yourself, at least until we both make it to the top two? Then we can both worry about the end result all we want.”

The two enter a stare down, both refusing to back down. Unfortunately for Val, Katniss’ resolve is a bit stronger than his. He sighs heavily in defeat. “Alright, fine. I’ll let up a bit and make it so that not _all_ of my actions revolve around keeping you safe.”

She smiles and continues too even though he adds, “But only if you promise to form an official alliance with me and that we’ll stick together the moment we step foot onto the arena.”

“Alright, alright. Sure, whatever you say,” she eagerly agrees.

He raises an eyebrow as he gives her a look. She rolls her eyes. “Okay. I promise to stay together with you as soon as we’re in the arena.”

“Good,” he nods with a smile, “As long as you do that, I’ll make sure to hold out on worrying about who’s actually going to win until we’re both in the top two.”

The siblings then shake hands like they’d just sealed a business deal and return their attention to the brilliant landscape. Val places an arm around Katniss’ shoulder as she leans against him, unknowing of the fact that she had crossed her fingers behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we’re officially done with everything pre-Games and can finally get to the actual Games in the next chapter that I will hopefully have out before the end of next week! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and weren’t too confused with the nonexistent transitions during the actual interview portion. 
> 
> When I wrote it, I had a montage sequence mindset in mind like the one they did in the movie but I didn’t want to make that obvious by writing in how Katniss and Val were viewing things off to the side because I felt like while it was interesting to watch, it’d be pretty jarring to read. Until next time!


	18. Let the Games Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day of the 74th Hunger Games and already Val's plans were falling apart before he can even implement them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? It’s finally here! The first day of the Games! I’m so excited! Are you excited? I hope you’re excited! So I’mma keep this note short and let y’all just jump into it.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Breakfast is eerily quiet. The sounds of cutlery, dishes, and the consummation of food were heavily muted. No words were exchanged among the occupants seated at the table. Even Effie had not made a single sound since she arrived. No one knows what to say, especially not on a day like this.

For today is the first day of the Hunger Games and it is also the first true test to see if Val and Katniss were indeed prepared to do all they can to achieve their respective goals.

Finally, the meal is over before they know it. The avoxes come to collect their plates and silverware, the red haired avox giving Val a passing smile of encouragement. When they exit the dining area, Val and Katniss both shakily stand up and begin a slow yet steady trek to the penthouse entrance. Effie follows closely behind, still silent.

Haymitch clears his throat, causing the siblings to pause and look over their shoulders, expressions carefully neutral.

“Good luck and be careful,” Haymitch says solemnly, tone full of warning, his own expression unreadable.

Val’s lips press together into a thin line and Katniss’ hands clench tightly as both give a sharp nod before allowing Effie to herd them out.

The twist and turns of hallways and corridors start to blend together, especially as the sleek white walls with fancy lights and bold paintings transitions into a never-ending expanse of bare concrete walls.

Their footsteps echo loudly throughout their walk until the sound of whirring machinery grows louder the closer they get to the end. When they finally reach the light at the end of the tunnel, the siblings see a hovercraft ready and waiting to take them to their destination. A total of ten Peacekeepers stand guard as the siblings and their escort walk up the ramp. The number of guards seems a little (very) excessive, like what? Did they expect either of them to cut and run when they were in the middle of the Capitol and had zero knowledge of their surroundings beyond three levels of the one building they’d been stuck in? Also, guns. No one, especially neither of the siblings, would be stupid enough to run from trained soldiers who had guns. 

Regardless, the Peacekeepers serve in their, most likely, intended purpose of stirring the bubbling anxiety within them. It makes Val and Katniss clutch each other more tightly throughout the rather short flight to the arena’s location.

When they land, Effie ushers them into a small concrete building and down a long winding hallway until they reach a fork where Portia stands to the left and Cinna stands to the right. Before Val or Katniss walk off to join their respective stylist, Effie gives her usual hug that was not so much a hug but a light encircling of the arms briefly around their shoulders.

“I look forward to the two of you making your district proud,” Effie says, tone surprisingly gently as she backs away. “May the odds be ever in your favor.”

She quickly walks off, leaving Val and Katniss in a bit of a daze as they watch her retreat out of the building. Val arches an eyebrow at Katniss to which she responds with a shrug and a wry smile. Neither of them know how to react to their usually chipper escort’s subdued demeanor.

Before the siblings part ways, Katniss grabs Val’s hand, squeezing tightly. He pulls her into a hug instead, as if to convey all the words he wishes he could voice into a silent embrace of good luck, be careful, and I love you. Then they part ways and join their respective stylists who gently usher them off down the different hallways. Both doing their damned best to not look back as the other gets further and further away.

Val nervously paces the length of the room, mind solely focused on the physical task. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, across the red felt carpet draped tastelessly across the grey concrete floor, from one grey concrete wall to the other grey concrete wall and back again.

“Do you mind sitting down? Your pacing is actually starting to make _me_ nervous,” Cinna comments dryly from where he lounges on the only couch that’s situated in the room.

Val makes a sound of acknowledgement but doesn’t stop pacing. Cinna sighs and stands up. He swipes a small bowl of nuts off the coffee table and intercepts Val mid pace by shoving the bowl in his face. 

“Then will you at least eat something? Just to help keep your strength up until you manage to find or attain a reliable food source?” Cinna asks, exasperated.

Val mindlessly obeys and takes the bowl from Cinna. He starts munching on the nuts as he resumes his pacing. Cinna sighs again because this was not what he meant to happen. Eventually, Val manages to eat all the contents of the bowl and holds it with his hands behind his back, still pacing. Unable to take it anymore, Cinna grabs Val by the shoulders to physically halt his pacing.

“Val,” Cinna says, his stern tone snapping Val out of the anxious state he was in.

“What? Oh, sorry about that Cinna. You want the bowl back right?” Val asks as he offers the bowl up.

Cinna shakes his head. “Val,” he says again with the same stern tone.

“Cinna?” Val responds, confused at where this was going.

“You will be fine. Your sister will be fine. Everything will work out in the end,” Cinna says, punctuating each word as if to try and stamp them into Val’s brain.

While it does seem to soothe some of the anxiety, Val’s inner turmoil can’t help but have him ask, “But how would you know that? You know how the Games go. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong because there are people actively making sure they do.”

Cinna takes the bowl away from Val and guides him to sit down next to him on the couch. He takes Val’s hands into his own and squeezes them in comfort.

“You want to know how I know?” he asks.

Val nods vigorously.

“Because I know you Val. Even if things don’t turn out as you first expect, I believe you’re resourceful enough to turn the odds in your favor and make it work. You’ve made me a believer, boy on fire,” Cinna says reassuringly as he gently opens one of Val’s clenched hands and places a familiar gold pin in his open palm. 

Val looks down and sees his mother’s gold pin. His thumb gently strokes the lines of the mockingjay’s wings. “How did you?” he asks as he looks up at Cinna in gratitude and wonder.

“It took me a while to be honest. When the pin was found after the customary search of your clothes and belongings, some of the inspector’s believed that the sharp point could be used as a weapon,” Cinna explained.

“Wha- Are you kidding? Do you see how small this pin is?” Val asks, incredulously.

Cinna chuckles. “Of course I do. There was quite a bit of back and forth going on in which I may have wanted to set the inspectors on fire quite a few times just for their lack of common sense and logic.”

Val snorts. “And I thought I was supposed to be the pyromaniac considering I was crazy enough to be set on fire but then again, I wasn’t the one holding the matches,” he says slyly.

Cinna laughs. “Fair enough. But at least I managed to get the pin approved for you to use as a token. Here, let me.”

He takes the pin out of Val’s hand and gently pins it to the lapel of Val’s field jacket. “You want to know a secret, Val?” he suddenly asks.

Val raises an eyebrow in question and hesitantly nods.

Cinna smiles. “Stylists, mentors, and escorts are forbidden from betting on their tributes. Makes it seem like favoritism or like they’re trying to rig the Games in some way.”

Val nods along, indicating he’s following along but still a bit confused as to where this is going.

“But if I could, I would bet on you, on the both of you, on winning and on changing a system that has long been broken since its creation,” Cinna declares resolutely to Val’s astonishment.

Before he can respond though, a buzzer sounds.

“All tributes. The Games will commence in three minutes. You have one minute to step onto the platform now. I repeat. All tributes. The Games will commence in three minutes. You have one minute to step onto the platform now.”

Val swallows thickly as he stands up and walks, somewhat unsteadily, to the circular platform encircled by a tube of glass with only a single opening in the middle of the room. He steels himself as he steps onto the platform. The door of the tube closes and he reflexively pushes against it as he turns to Cinna in a blind panic.

Cinna, expression carefully neutral, gives a steady nod. Then the platform slowly rises. Val glances up as light from above floods the tube. 

Val blinks in disorientation as his vision is flooded with light. His ears ring and his vision clears to reveal the landscape before him.

He’s in a field with a large lake off to the side and a giant metal cornucopia set beside it. A large, dense forest rings around the field like a fence. All the tributes stand on metal pedestals placed in a circle a good sprinting distance away from the cornucopia.

He quickly takes stock of the different types of supplies (large crates, small bags, well sized backpacks) and weapons (mainly swords and spears) strewn about the field and piled up within the cornucopia. Of course the majority of supplies and weapons are placed within the cornucopia, tempting all to test their luck and see if they can steal away with their lives. He even spots a pair of bow and arrows leaning almost mockingly against a large black crate set just at the foot of the cornucopia. While the weapon itself rarely appeared in the Games, it was obvious whom they were for. It seems the Game Makers were attempting to manufacture some sort of rivalry between him and his sister.

Val turns his gaze away and looks around for something more accessible. He spots a backpack off about 10 or so feet from his left, easily accessible and allowing him to grab and run without crossing paths with any of the other tributes.

Initial game plan in mind, he then switches his focus to picking out his sister in the circle. His gaze travels across each pedestal until he spots her about five tributes away to his right. The siblings immediately make eye contact. He then pointedly drags his gaze to the backpack and then subtly tilts his head back towards the woods that surround them. Specifically at the entry point situated directly behind the third tribute in between them, a perfect midpoint for them to run up and join each other as they entered. 

Katniss gives a small nod before her attention is caught by the bow leaning by the cornucopia. She looks back at him and frowns when she sees him shake his head and mouth ‘no.’ She sighs and nods before returning her focus onto a backpack that was placed just a few feet in front of her.

With that crisis averted, Val quickly refocuses his attention to the nearby backpack as the countdown begins, the hologram numbers steadily shifting down numerically with a thumping sound reminiscent of a steady heartbeat.

20

19

In the central control room, multiple Game Makers type and swipe across their digital keyboards and holographic screens.

18

17

In the middle of the Capitol, citizens scream and shout and laugh as they raise their glasses and cheer in gleeful celebration.

16

15

In the plaza of District 12, Seamers, Townies, and even the few Peacekeepers stand together, united for once, in quiet solidarity.

14

13

In the living room of the Everdeen home, Prim clutches her mother tightly as both stare unblinkingly at the screen. Both are too afraid to look away for even a second.

12

11

In the attic of the bakery, Peeta solemnly listens to the countdown while resolutely refusing to look out the small window that grants a perfect view to the plaza below. He furiously splashes forest green and sunrise orange paint across an old canvas. 

10

9

In the meadow, Gale sits by the lake. The sun shines brightly and it’s peacefully quiet with only the sounds of birds, the occasional squirrel, and a soft breeze that rustles the wild grass around him. In his hand, he tightly clutches a bundle of white and light pink Valerian flowers.

8

7

6

Val’s pulse races as his heartbeat hammers in his ears, drowning out all sound except for the countdown.

5

4

A bead of sweat trails down from his forehead as his muscles tense in the ready position.

3

2

1

If a buzzer sounded, Val wouldn’t know as any and all sound becomes a low buzzing, the adrenaline rushing through his body as he swiftly jumps off the pedestal and rushes over to grab the backpack without a second to spare.

Once his arm hooks itself around one of the backpack’s straps, he quickly turns on his heel and starts booking it towards the woods, but not before he glances over to see Katniss running in the complete opposite direction of the entry point he thought they had agreed upon. His pace slows in confusion until his heart jumps to his throat as he watches her, backpack in hand, charge straightforward, right past and even through the bloodbath occurring by the cornucopia.

He sees Careers cut down and stab the few tributes brave enough to rush towards the cornucopia. One of the younger tributes, Val’s mind isn’t focused enough to see who, gets brutally stabbed through with a spear by Marvel. Another tribute gets their leg and then their neck cut by a gleeful Glimmer. One of the tributes falls due to the multiple knives thrown at their back courtesy of Clove. Amber and Noah stick together as they beat another tribute to death with fists and the blunt end of a spear. 

He watches a few other tributes desperately punch and kick and yank at each other for weapons and bags that were scattered further away from the center. The last few tributes have already grabbed what they could and booked it out of there, their figures already disappearing into the tree line at varying entry points.

Suddenly, a harsh battle cry jerks his attention back into focus and he quickly turns to see Kai gunning towards him with a crazed look in his eyes and a bloodied short sword in hand. Immediately his flight response kicks in and he rushes off with a burst of speed. He holds the backpack up behind him so that it acts as a barrier for his head and upper back.

Val manages to make it a few feet past the tree line and instantly spots the dip of a hillside straight in front of him. He starts to angle himself to run past it when a sudden impact hits the bag. He stumbles and trips, arms coming up to shield his head as he rolls and slides down the hill. Once he reaches the bottom, he takes advantage of his momentum to scramble up to his feet and run away.

The buzzing sound in his ears finally fades away as he hears Kai’s cry of outrage fade into the distance. Then the sounds of cannons echo throughout the arena as they start going off one after another. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. The last cannon’s echo slowly fades until finally, silence.

Val doesn’t stop running though until the only sounds he can hear are the sounds of nature, of birdsong and the rustling leaves. Finally, he slows down to a halt, bending over to catch his breath as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. His heartbeat calms with each breath he takes until it’s no longer hammering in his ears.

He looks around, methodically assessing his surroundings. He seems to be in an area of the woods with trees that tower above him and branches that seem sturdy enough to be potential sleeping sites. He strains his ears to hear if there are any other human beings around, only nodding to himself when he hears nothing but the occasional sounds of wildlife.

Val drops onto the forest floor with a sigh that seems to drain the tension out of his body. It’s as good a time as any to see what supplies he managed to bag. He shoulders the backpack off and starts when he sees the bloodied short sword Kai was threatening him with sticking out of the bag at a precarious angle.

He pulls the sword out, grimacing at the blood that was drying on its surface. He quickly wipes it across the dirt floor to get as much of the blood off as possible. Once the sword is as clean as it can be, Val snickers to himself because of course Kai would be stupid enough to toss a sword at him like it was a knife or spear. It was only thanks to the weight and length of the short sword that Val hadn’t been stabbed or even pricked by it.

Setting the sword aside, Val turns his attention to the backpack, still in relatively good condition with nothing spilling out despite the obvious hole the sword had made. He opens the pack and takes each item out - a coil of rope, an emergency blanket, a handful of single serving packs of nuts and dried fruit, one water bottle thankfully filled, a small bottle of iodine tablets, a box of matches, and a skinning knife. It’s a very, very good haul he thinks as he smiles to himself and mentally pats himself on the back. 

Then he sets about putting each item back, making sure the water bottle was placed in one of the mesh pockets to the side of the pack and the matches, a pack of dried fruit, and the iodine were placed in his jacket pockets. He picks up the sword as he stands and decides to go about the motions of survival. 

He feels a sense of deja vu run over him as he treks through the forest, searching for a reliable source of water and any signs of the wildlife he kept hearing. It’s almost exactly like the situation he was in eight years ago - stuck in a forest, bare minimum tools of survival, and people out to kill him. Only difference was back then, his survival was paramount on anonymity and now, his survival is dependent on the entertainment he can provide for an entire nation.

Val snorts to himself at the irony as he carefully follows a set of tracks that lead to many crisscrossing paths of animal footprints, most likely rabbit or squirrel. He then swiftly and methodically sets a few basic traps just like the ones Gale first taught him back when he was still living alone in the forest. Once that task is checked off, he sets off again to look for a source of water. He watches the ground closely, trying to see where it went dry and where it grew muddy, while still trying to keep an ear out for any potential humans whom he definitely didn’t want to cross paths with. Unless they were Katniss. And oh, was he going to rip her a new one after that stunt she pulled at the bloodbath. 

But for now, water. Following a faint sound, Val comes across a small, babbling brook. He quickly takes stock of his surroundings, noticing that the brook was about 30 or so paces from where he set the traps. Mentally scribbling down the location, he decides to circle the area with his traps acting as the epicenter and taking mental notes of anything and everything that could serve as a potential advantage no matter how small. During his circuit, he comes across a cave with a conveniently growing canopy that could be adjusted to hide the opening from any wandering tributes and a cluster of trees that go high enough that he’d be able to escape the reach of any thrown or shot weaponry.

When he completes his circuit, which was thankfully tribute less but still with no sign of Katniss, Val walks back to the center to check on his traps. And sure enough, a squirrel squirms desperately at the end of a trap that has Val grinning at his luck. He quickly gets to work in killing the squirrel as swiftly and painlessly as possible. Then he drains the blood and methodically skins the animal before cutting it up and stripping it of its flesh, making sure to bury its bones and entrails in the ground out of respect and as fertilizer. 

He then treks back to the brook to wash his hands, the skinning knife, and the meat before setting up a small fire over which he allows the meat to cook. Once it’s sufficiently cooked, Val eats a few strips, taking time to savor the taste despite the lack of seasoning. Paired with a pack of dried fruit and he’s sufficiently fueled for the rest of the day. He quickly stomps out the fire and scatters the ashy remains. Then he places the leftover cooked meat in the empty dried fruit bag and places it in his pocket.

Survival basics done for now, Val decides to spend the rest of the day searching for Katniss, making sure not to stray too far from the area of his circuit. He searched high, climbing up a few trees to get better vantage points, and low, combing through the forest floor for any shoe prints that looked about her size. He kept searching and searching for any signs of his sister until he finally had to call it quits for the day when the sun began to set. He quickly treks back to his circuit and heads straight for the cluster of tall trees, swiftly climbing up one while there was still light because it’d sure be a hell of a way to go by falling off a tree because he couldn’t see where his hand was grabbing or foot was stepping.

Once he manages to reach a high up enough branch that was both sturdy and large enough that he could rest without the risk of slipping off, he takes out the rope. He loops it around the trunk, slipping the arms of his pack through, and ties it off around his waist. After he pulls the emergency blanket around him, Val settles as comfortably as he can on the branch. He watches the sky turn from orange and red to purple and black but is unable to really enjoy the beautiful sight as the anxiety of waiting for the end of day announcements starts to claw at him. He needs the clarification that Katniss is most assuredly not one of the cannon fires that had been set off earlier in the day. 

Now that it’s completely dark, Val sees a small light out of the corner of his eye. He turns to see that someone had lit a fire nearby which was thankfully, not close enough to draw attention to the tree he’s hiding on.

‘Idiot,’ he thought irritably, ‘Don’t they know that on the first day, after the bloodbath, the Careers go out hunting for easy prey? That fire is literally a beacon signaling dumb tribute here, please kill.’

Then his irritation turns to self imposed guilt because that tribute was probably really scared or ill prepared and desperately needed the fire, else why would they even start one at night? He looks away when he hears a distant scream. Then clenches his teeth in anger when the cannon doesn’t sound until several minutes later. 

Distant laughter that can only be from the Careers is heard from the direction of the scream as the light of the fire goes out abruptly. Only when the sound of laughter fades away does Val relax the tension in his body. The Careers really were sick bastards and even though he still feels guilty, he’s glad that he’s alive and that his sister might potentially still be alive too as she would never make such a rookie mistake no matter how desperate she was.

Suddenly, the Panem national anthem starts to play as the sky lights up with a holographic display of the Capitol Emblem with the words “The Fallen” placed underneath. It’s finally time for the announcements.

The Capitol emblem then switches to head shots of those who had died with only their District number labeling who they were. No names. Of course the Game Makers wouldn’t even dignify the fallen with the respect owed to the dead. All the tributes in the arena were only numbers to them after all. 

Val watches solemnly as each fallen tribute appears in the sky, his mind helpfully supplying the names of each tribute as they appeared. 

Azora - District 4 - She smiles softly

Sebastian - District 4 - He has a crooked grin

Dean - District 5 - He smiles, close-lipped but confident

Tamora - District 6 - Her lips are pressed into a thin line

Jason - District 6 - He looks very noble and serious

Sienna - District 7 - Her expression is carefully neutral

Wallace - District 7 - He attempts a small smile

Lee - District 8 - He’s outright frowning

Demetria - District 9 - Her face is poised and refined

Craigh - District 9 - He has a shy smile

Susan - District 10 - Her smile is hesitant yet wide

Eleven tributes in total, dead. 

Then the hologram disappears but the anthem still plays. Val quickly does some mental calculations and comes up with thirteen tributes still alive. Both him and his sister which is such a relief that she’s still alive even if he’s still pissed at her for breaking her promise. Then Rue and Thresh which is great, especially considering the alliance they had set up. Then Timmer from 10, Savannah from 8, Finch from 5, and all six Careers, Glimmer, Marvel, Clove, Kai, Amber, and Noah. Great.

As the last part of the anthem plays out, Val decides to send his own private salute to the fallen. One that he thought was more respectful than the picture and number the Capitol decided to callously slap them with. He even decides to add something extra. Something that he had found in an old poetry book from the olden days that had managed to escape The Burning after the 10th Hunger Games. He and Katniss had come across the book when they had decided to raid the library for fun one day and apparently one of the poems had once been a traditional funeral rite before it was lost to time and fear, just like the salute. A proper way to say goodbye paired with a sign of respect.

Val carefully lifts three fingers from his right hand up to his lips and raises it out in salute to the night sky. “Ave atque vale,” he says quietly even though there was no one around to hear him. “Hail and farewell,” he whispers as the last notes of the anthem fade away.

Then he settles in for the night, closing his eyes and falling into an uneasy sleep. Completely unaware of the hidden camera that was placed nearby and had broadcasted everything he had said and done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone spot the small Easter egg from another popular young adult series? Yes? No? Also, here I am, using my three years of Latin from high school for something like fanfiction. Oh how the mighty language has fallen. Whelp I will admit that I enjoyed the books and love the show and thought that the phrase was very fitting to Val’s desire to give a respectful and humane goodbye to the tributes who had lost their lives for the meaningless entertainment of the Capitol goons. Did you guys think it was fitting? Is there anything you think that could’ve worked better? Now that the Games are well underway is there anything you’re looking forward to? That you wanna see? Let me know and I may or may not include it! Until next time!


	19. A Burning Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though only a day has passed, the siblings finally reunite. But in the worst way possible. Also, a look into what Katniss has been doing since she separated from Val.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? In this chapter, the siblings finally reunite! Even though it’s only been an entire day since they separated. But anyways, I feel like I should’ve given some warning in the last chapter but there’s violence in this chapter but it’s not super explicit? I don’t know. If you’re reading a Hunger Games Au/rewrite fic expecting zero violence to occur then I don’t know what to yell ya. But yeah. Canon typical violence in this chapter and late useless warning for that shit in the last chapter.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Katniss briefly closed her eyes, struggling to steady herself. The complete look of trust her brother had just given her starts to shake her resolve.

‘No. Bad Katniss. Remember the plan. The plan is good and important and it will only work if you make it work,’ she thought, mentally smacking herself.

She opens her eyes and narrows her focus on the backpack and the point of entry to the forest straight in front of her. She had to do this. She needed to do this. Haymitch’s plan is the only way that will allow her to protect her brother. And while she hated that she couldn’t tell him about it herself, Haymitch swore on his flask that he would be able to send a message a few days into the arena. It would look suspicious and more importantly, weak, if a tribute gift was sent so early in the Games after all.

The countdown continued, mere white noise in the background, until finally the buzzer sounded and Katniss shot off the pedestal like a bullet. She quickly scoops the backpack up and continues racing across the field to the other side. She does her best to ignore the carnage around her, only barely flinching when blood spray from an unfortunate victim slaps her cheek as she runs directly through the blood bath.

‘This is a terrible fucking plan and if I get caught by a Career then I’m going to haunt Haymitch for the rest of his miserable drinking days,’ she thinks as she grits her teeth and powers through, hoping not to get caught in the violent action around her.

Luckily, the Careers ignore her and she manages to make it into the forest. She quickly dives behind a large bush and takes a moment to catch her breath. She then looks out from an opening in the bush to observe the scene before her. 

She watches as Rue darts into the forest and disappears up the trees with Thresh following behind her on the ground like a large, intimidating shadow. She sees Fox Face running her way with a backpack in hand and quickly holds herself as still as possible until Fox Face runs by and further into the depths of the forest. She pointedly looks away from the cornucopia in an attempt to ignore the violence and bloodshed. 

Her hand shakily comes up to wipe away the blood on her cheek. Her gaze refusing to look at the still warm, red liquid as she frantically wipes her hand on the back of her pants where she’ll never be able to mistakenly see it. Then her heart jumps to her throat when she sees Kai chase after Val with a bloodied short sword in hand. Only when Kai throws the sword like the idiot he is and comes storming back with an enraged roar does she let go of the breath she had unknowingly held.

Katniss jumps, completely startled, when cannons start firing off one after another. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Huh. Not too many but not little either. Good. That means there’s only twelve tributes in between her and what she needs to accomplish. And since the Careers always go hunting on the first day, that number might be reduced even further to allow her to implement the next step of the plan earlier then anticipated.

But first...Katniss returns her attention to the field, noting that the Careers were done killing and now gathering all of the supplies in and around the cornucopia together. Steeling her shaking nerves, Katniss throws the backpack she grabbed over her shoulder and steps out from behind the bush. She then purposefully strides to the Careers with as much faked confidence as she can muster.

“Hey.”

All of the Careers look up from what they're doing and immediately get on the defensive, with the exception of Kai, who leans disinterestedly on his long sword, and Clove, who silently gauges her possible intentions.

“What do you want, Everdeen? Come to offer yourself up like a sacrificial lamb to the slaughter?” Kai drawls out as he twirls his sword with deadly grace, “And here I thought you would put up more of a fight.”

“Ya know, it’s a good thing my brother isn’t here cause every time you say Everdeen, neither of us know who you’re talking to,” Katniss automatically retorts. Then she mentally berates herself as Kai scowls at her, sword now at the ready. Ugh, curse her smart mouth. “But anyways, I’m not here to get myself killed or anything.” 

“Then what are you here for, peasant,” Glimmer spits out as she holds the bow and arrow with such poor posture and aim that Katniss would actually be surprised if it managed to hit anything at all.

Katniss grins, all nice and easy, as she says, “I’m here because I want to make an alliance with you guys.”

The Careers all gape at her, slack faced in surprise. They’ve also lowered their weapons and as predicted, Glimmer accidentally released the arrow and all it did was fall harmlessly to the ground.

“Explain,” Marvel harshly barks out, the only one to quickly gather his wits as he points his spear at her.

“Well it’s simple you see. I wanna beat my brother,” Katniss says as if it explained everything, which it really didn’t.

“But what about all that talk of saving him and that united front act you’ve been doing since day one?” Amber asks, completely confused.

“It’s just as you said, an act,” Katniss responds with a shrug, “The Capitol folks ate up the narrative that I wanted to make sure my brother won just like he wanted to make sure I did. Then to really add drama, I’m now showing my real intentions of wanting to stab him when he’s most vulnerable. After all, one of the two ways to win is to either kill everyone yourself or put on the best show you can,” she finishes with a smirk as she thinks, ‘Please buy it. Please buy it. Please for fuck’s sake, buy the fucking story or I’ll really have to haunt Haymitch for the rest of my afterlife.’

The Careers all look at each other skeptically, though Clove seems to be contemplating the meaning behind her words.

“I’ll even offer my survival skills, I grew up hunting in the nearby forest at home and I learned a lot of stuff from my mother’s apothecary practice,” Katniss says, trying to sweeten the deal, “I’ll even help you find my brother.”

That last part certainly catches Kai and Clove’s attention. Kai seems to actually be considering her offer while Clove looks as if she’s managed to clue into what Katniss is actually trying to do. Katniss continues to smile regardless and offers out her hand. “Do we have an alliance?” she asks.

Kai stares at her outstretched hand like he’s actually considering her offer. Glimmer notices this and asks, “Wait, Kai. You are not seriously considering her cheap offer are you? She could kill us all while we sleep like the low born worm she is!”

“Oh please, I wouldn’t stoop so low as to pull something only a Career would do,” Katniss responds, rolling her eyes.

Glimmer’s eyes flash in anger and she takes a “threatening” step towards Katniss. “You little-”

“I’ll consider your offer of an alliance,” Kai interrupts, startling everyone around him, even Katniss who didn’t think he’d fold that quickly. “But...” Oops, never mind. She spoke too soon. “Only if you find and kill your brother by the end of the day. Otherwise, we kill you,” he says, matter of fact and with a shrug.

Katniss frowns. “You’re kidding right? Do you see how big this forest is? And there’s the fact that my brother spent a lot of time surviving on his own in the woods. If he doesn’t want you to find him, you won’t.”

“Well then I guess we kill you,” Kai says, sword ready to cut her down.

“Woah, woah, woah, hold on there you trigger happy dumb ass,” she says with her hands up to wave him down, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t help you, just that it’d be hard to. I’d need more time.”

Kai frowns unhappily but lowers his sword. “How much time?”

Katniss taps her chin in thought. “How about...a week?”

“That’s too long. You’ll have more than enough time to betray us if that’s your actual plan. Three days,” he shoots back.

“And once my brother decided to disappear for more than three days in order to bring back enough food to feed our family for a week. None of us could find him and we knew all his usual haunts and patterns so six days,” she counters.

“Four days then.”

“How bout five?”

Kai scowls. “Fine. Five days. Then we get to kill you.”

Katniss smirks. “Cross my heart and hope to die, literally.”

The two then shake on it and quickly let go, as if the other’s touch could burn or poison them.

“Alright then, now that this little show is finally over, can we finish getting on with what we were doing? I’m getting bored just standing here,” Clove says with a yawn as she lazily swings a knife.

Kai nods sharply and barks at Noah and Amber, “You two. Hurry up and do that thing you were talking about earlier. The rest of us will finish getting the supplies together. And be quick about it. We don’t want to waste anymore daylight on useless tasks when we could already be out hunting.” Then at Katniss. “And you will stay within our line of sight for as long as you’re with us. No funny business and if you try to run away, the alliance is off and we kill you.”

“No problemo, sir yes sir boss man,” Katniss mockingly salutes as she goes to join Clove in getting the supplies closest to the pedestals.

Once the two are sufficiently out of earshot from the other Careers, Katniss turns to Clove and asks, “So what are Amber and Noah doing?” She gestures at the two tributes who were now carefully taking apart the pedestals.

“Noah had the idea to take out the explosives in the pedestals and putting them around the supplies like a trap,” Clove responds as she gathers up a few spears and a backpack.

“Huh...sounds intriguing,” Katniss says around her armful of packs and duffle bags. 

Clove hums. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Oh? And what am I doing?” Katniss asks.

“You’re trying to throw Kai off your brother’s scent by offering yourself as a target. Then when the times right, you’re going to cripple him in some way and book it without a second glance back.”

“Guess you didn’t buy that betrayal act at all huh? And here I thought I was a good actress.”

“You’re good,” Clove smirks, “But I’m just better. And I want in on your plan.”

“Huh?” Katniss asks, startled.

“Let’s make an alliance. Just between the two of us,” Clove patiently explains as the two drop off their goods and quickly make their way back out of earshot.

“And I should say yes because?”

“Because I too, have an interest in keeping your brother alive. Val is very important to me and I would hate to see him taken down by Kai of all people. Plus, I’d do anything to get out of the Career alliance. It’s completely boring and the others just grate on my nerves.”

“Ha! I can totally understand that and I’ve only been here for ten minutes. Alright, we got a deal. Alliance between you and me. When we get the chance, we both book it and promise not to stab the other in the back. Deal?”

“Deal.”

Then the two girls fall into companionable silence as they continue to gather supplies and drop them off by the cornucopia. Katniss also watches how Noah and Amber carefully remove the explosives from each pedestal and place them underground in haphazard patterns all around the supplies before digging up empty holes and filling them as decoys. She knows she’ll have no way of remembering all of the real and fake mounds. Instead, she focuses on a single path which held only two mines and five decoys just to the far right of the supply pile.

Soon enough, the supplies are all placed together and the explosive traps have been set. Now it’s time to hunt with Katniss dragged along as the unwilling participant (cough hostage cough). Kai orders for Noah to be left behind to guard their supplies. Then they all set off into the woods.

For the rest of the day, the Careers plus Katniss and minus Noah, wander around the woods in search of any tributes dumb enough to find themselves on their warpath. Kai, of course, leads the charge as their de facto leader. He jokes and rough houses with a jolly Marvel by his left side and a star stuck Glimmer hanging off his right. Amber hangs back a bit behind them but participates in the joking. Katniss and Clove walk as far back as they can from the quartet without setting off any alarms. Luckily, this year’s bloodbath survivors seem to be of the smarter sort so they don’t come across anyone as they trek through the forest. 

The sun slowly sets and Kai makes the executive decision to start making their way back to the cornucopia much to his obvious displeasure. He immediately perks up when they all spot a fire going in the distance. A tribute had finally done something stupid and was now drawing the bloodthirsty Careers to them like moths to a flame.

Katniss follows along unhappily. She’d much rather go back to the cornucopia with Clove but unfortunately, the fire is also on their path back. So off they go, the Career pack and their reluctant add on. Katniss can only hope they don’t find her brother or any of the young tributes still alive, especially Rue. She didn’t know if her heart could take it if they found her. 

Fortunately and unfortunately, the tribute they find is a soaking wet Demetria shaking from both the cold and fear when the Pack finally arrives at the small clearing she’s in. She tries to stand and run but ends up tripping and stumbling onto the ground. Glimmer and Amber sneer at her as Demetria quickly turns to crab crawl away. Her fear and panic drains the strength in her arms and prevents her from pushing herself up off the ground to try and run. 

“Hey guys, look who we got here,” Kai sneers as he and Marvel slowly advance upon Demetria who continues to back up until she’s unfortunately stopped by a nearby tree.

“P-p-please,” she begs as tears stream down her eyes and her hair hangs damply around her face. The image she projects is pathetic and desperate. 

“P-p-please,” Kai mocks with a falsetto that has Marvel and Glimmer laughing hysterically like a gross human parody of hyenas. 

Demetria whimpers and looks hopefully to Katniss and Clove who have yet to participate. Katniss looks away with a conflicted expression while a stone-faced Clove watches on, her eyes flashing with some unnamed emotion. Demetria chokes on a sob when she realizes that her last hope of making it out alive has completely vanished. It never even existed to begin with.

“That was a nice sound she made there,” Marvel observes with sadistic glee, “I wonder what other sounds she can make.”

Kai smirks as he pins his sword to Demetria’s throat. “Why don’t we find out?”

Then the torture begins. Each Career, barring Katniss and Clove, imparts some form of abuse on Demetria. Kai cuts her up all over with slices that bleed but not enough to have her pass out from blood loss. Marvel strategically stabs her in areas that intentionally avoid fatal injuries but cause her great pain and have her screaming out. 

When Kai and Marvel have had their fun, they allow Glimmer and Amber to take over. Amber laughs out joyfully as she punches and kicks at Demetria’s face and body. The poor girl’s arms too weak to lift and defend herself from the blows. The cracks of her bones have Katniss flinching and shutting her eyes so as to block the scene from her mind but the sounds still echo loudly around her. Glimmer chooses to not dirty her hands up blood and instead takes to mocking her. She throws verbal barbs that could make a grown man cry. She especially takes glee in commenting on how they’ve finally gotten Demetria’s poised face to crack and how she’d always been pissed by how some no name bitch from 9 was walking around acting like she was better than her. 

Finally, the four are done and they step away to view their masterpiece. Demetria lies broken and bloody on the forest floor. Tears continue to pour down her dirtied and bruised face as she desperately gasps for air under her broken ribs. 

“Oh lookie here, someone’s still got a bit of fight left in her,” Kai comments with mock surprise. “Should we put her out of her misery?”

Glimmer sneers. “Let’s just leave her here and see how long it’ll take for that fight to leave her.” 

The four blood thirsty Careers laugh and move as if they’re actually going to do just that. It has Demetria whimper desperately and choke out painful sounding sobs. Katniss, who had finally opened her eyes, swallows thickly as the image of the slowly dying Demetria forever sears itself into her brain. Then Clove finally moves.

The Careers all shut up as Clove walks up and crouches beside Demetria who whimpers and flinches back as much as her body will allow her too, afraid that Clove would add her own brand of torture to prolong her suffering. However, she blinks in shock when Clove leans down as closely as possible to whisper softly to her. The tears renew as Demetria looks at Clove gratefully and whispers softly back. Then Clove pulls out one of her knives and stabs Demetria straight through the heart, quickly extinguishing her life and giving her a merciful end. Katniss turns away from the scene, sick to her stomach as its meager contents threaten to leave its current location. 

“What’d you go and do that for?” Kai asks, slightly pissed that their entertainment for the night ended so abruptly.

“I was getting tired of hearing the noises she was making. Those whimpers were more annoying than amusing,” Clove responds, face and tone carefully neutral. 

“Oh come on, Clove. Why do you always have to take the fun out of everything?” Glimmer whines like the spoiled brat she is.

Clove rolls her eyes and glares. “We’ve already spent too much time here. We need to head back to camp so we can rest and get a fresh start in searching for the other Everdeen. Remember?” she says with a pointed look at Kai to remind him of why he even allowed Katniss to be their ally in the first place.

Kai scowls at the reminder and the fact that he needed a reminder. “Ugh. Fine. Whatever. Let’s go,” he barks as he storms out of the small clearing and off in the direction of the cornucopia.

Marvel shrugs and moves to follow him while Glimmer scowls and spits at Demetria’s face before she also rushes off to catch up to Kai. Amber follows silently behind, now silent and meek again despite the blood splatters on her face and her earlier violence.

Clove frowns as she wipes blood and Glimmer’s spit off of Demetria’s face with a clean cloth she had taken out of her pocket. Then she gently closes her still open eyes and moves her still hands to clasp together. Clove tucks the cloth a bit under Demetria’s hands and finally stands up. 

Katniss glances down at the cloth and realizes it’s a small handkerchief with a flower embroidered on. It’s a white lily with pink shading on the inside. Restored innocence of the soul of the departed. Morbidly fitting.

“We should get going before Kai starts thinking that you tried to kill me,” Clove says, startling Katniss out of her thoughts.

“Only tried? You don’t think I could actually succeed in killing you?” Katniss curiously asks as she follows Clove out of the clearing.

Clove smiles bitterly in response and looks away from her and back at Demetria. Her silence was enough of an answer for Katniss and the two walk back to the cornucopia with a weighted silence around them.

Val yawns as he stretches out while trekking around the forest in an attempt to continue his search for Katniss. Even though it seemed as though he slept enough hours, it sure didn’t feel like it to what with his brain still attempting to complete its awakening despite it being about an hour since he got up. It’s only been one day and already his sense of time is getting screwed up. His body was also definitely not happy with having been stuck up on a tree branch for the night. 

All his muscles protested when he climbed down that morning and a spasm in his arm almost had him meeting an unfortunate end. Thankfully he’d already been within comfortable falling distance from the ground but still. He almost gave himself a heart attack when that happened.

For breakfast, he decided to have a few sips of water, just to preserve the original contents for as long as he can cause while he trusts the iodine tablets to do their job, the water he received in the pack is more reassuring than water he has to purify and boil himself, at least health wise. He also only had one packet of nuts thus bringing done his total packet count to four plus the packet with the leftover squirrel meat. 

Then he made his way over to his traps, hoping that they had caught something, anything. And thankfully, the traps caught a couple somethings - a rabbit and a squirrel. However, due to not wanting to waste precious daylight that could be spent searching for his sister, Val decided to hang his kills off his pack for preparation later in the day. 

So far in his search, Val had picked a random direction about northeast of his trapping grounds and decided to march on forward until he eventually came across another living person, hopefully his sister, or the edge of the arena which could make it easier for him to find her by completing a circuit around it.

“Sir.”

Seneca Crane looks up from a tablet screen held by a Game Maker. “Yes?” he asks as he makes his way over to the Game Maker who called for him.

“One of the tributes, Valerian Everdeen, is slowly making his way towards the barrier,” the Game Maker says as she points at the holographic display where a single dot with Val’s name and photo attached moves steadily towards the barrier erected around the arena.

“Well we certainly can’t have that. Especially not since Abernathy is the boy’s mentor. Pull up the closet video surveillance near his location. I want to see what he’s doing,” Crane says thoughtfully.

The Game Maker peers at the display, pulling up live video footage that shows Val walking while looking around as if searching for something. “It appears he is looking for something.”

Crane hums, a light bulb moment. “Or possibly someone...Where is Ms. Everdeen at this particular moment?”

The Game Maker fiddles around with the controls and pulls up a dot, Katniss, surrounded by five other dots, the Careers minus Noah. The six dots are moving perpendicular to Val’s straight path towards the barrier. Based on the video footage, Katniss seems to be in cahoots with the Careers. Crane smiles widely as he takes note of this fact.

“How about we make things... _interesting_?” he lightly suggests.

The Game Maker catches onto Crane’s train of thought and brings up a screen with a variety of icons displayed. “Of course, sir. Which one should I deploy?”

Crane sweeps his gaze over each icon before finally settling on one with a fireball symbol. “Go with this one,” he says with a sinister smile as he points at the icon, “Let’s really make him the _boy on fire_.”

“Of course, sir,” the Game Maker responds, smiling along almost robotically. She presses the icon and directs the holographic displays of the fireballs to rain down.

Val’s mind wanders as he continues his search with still no sign of Katniss or any other human being. Despite the reminders that yes, he was still in a death arena and an unwilling participant of the Hunger Games, if this isolation keeps up, he’s actually going to start believing his back in 12 and the past eight years were just a dream.

Then all thoughts of dreams are shattered when an explosion has Val instinctively ducking and covering. He then lowers his arms and looks for the source of the explosion, seeing a smoking hole with burnt forest debris around it just thirty feet off to his left.

“Wha-”

But before he has any time to process what just happened, another explosion occurs. This time way to close for comfort as he ducks and covers again while dirt and burnt leaves fall on and around him. Val quickly recovers and looks at the smoking hole only about fifteen feet away to his right. He slowly walks over and sees a small, smoking rock that looks almost like charcoal about the size of two fists.

“Exploding rocks?” he asks himself, wondering where the hell they came from. Had a tribute somehow managed to make gunpowder? Or maybe it’s the Game Makers taking his moniker as the “boy on fire” as literally as possible?

Unfortunately for him, he gets the answer to his question in the form of more fireballs that indiscriminately start raining down around him like burning hail. Val runs away from the almost constant hail of fire, mentally cursing at the Game Makers cause what the hell? Who the hell uses fireballs as an obstacle option in a forest arena? Val would like to have words with them. Maybe he’ll even ask Cinna to set them on fire, see how they like it. 

Then his thoughts are cut off when a fireball streaks by and manages to clip him, burning a thick line straight through his upper left thigh. Val goes down hard, hand clenching his leg as he tries to pull himself up and continue his mad scramble away from the fire still raining down on him.

His leg burns and his nose is filled with the smell of ash and burnt flesh as he quickly limps his way through the forest. He spots a river up ahead and makes his way toward. The hail fire immediately ceases as soon as he tumbles onto his hands and knees into the cool, refreshing water. An instant relief comes to the burning sensation on his leg as he shifts to sit back in the water. 

Val pants harshly to catch his breath and from the pain that was only temporarily relieved by the river water. He looks down and sees some of the fabric of his pants had melted onto the burned skin. With trembling fingers, he pulls the fabric off the burn as carefully as he can, biting his lips to prevent any sounds from giving away his position even though everyone and their mother’s probably heard the explosions that followed him to the river.

He breathes a sigh of relief once the fabric is pulled away and only the burn is left. It looks to be a second to third degree burn given the state of his skin. He’ll still be able to put his weight on his leg even when the adrenaline fades away. He’s also probably going to regret soaking this wound in a river and not purified water. Maybe he can ask Haymitch for some sort of medicine to treat the burn before it gets infected.

Val slowly pushes himself up. He should soak the wound for a little longer but he doesn’t want to increase his risk for infection anymore than he has to. Besides, he has his iodine tablets so he can wash the wound further after he gets out of the river. Once he stands, he’s about knee deep in the water and slowly limping his way back to dry land. 

Then the sounds of distant laughter growing ever closer catches his attention. Fear grips his heart because the laughter can only be from one specific group of people. He turns around to see where the sounds are coming from, quickening his pace as adrenaline slowly overtakes him again as the limp becomes less pronounced the more he moves.

The laughter grows closer until he sees Kai coming out from the trees with Marvel and Glimmer following closely behind. Kai smiles gleefully at the sight of Val. “There he is! Look’s like you actually are useful for something besides that mouth of yours,” Kai shouts back to someone who had yet to walk past the tree line.

Val doesn’t bother to stick around and see who he’s talking to though. His burn now forgotten as the adrenaline fully courses through him as he runs off with the delightful shouts of the Career Pack following behind as they cross the river after him.

Val blindly runs and stumbles through the forest with no clear destination in mind even though he had already scouted out escape routes and hiding spots. The fear clouds his judgment as he continues to run as quickly as he can while the laughter of the Careers grow closer and closer. Pain and exhaustion finally starts to creep in though and Val is forced to stop and look for any trees that were sturdy yet tall enough to climb.

Quickly spotting one, Val quickly scrambles up the trunk, hands desperately grabbing at knobs and branches to haul him up as quickly as possible. Just as he’s about half way up the tree, the Careers finally catch up to him, laughing and jeering as he finishes his climb.

Val sits heavily with his back against the trunk, panting heavily from exertion.

“Going somewhere Everdeen?” Kai gleefully shouts. 

Val looks down to see Kai, Clove, Glimmer, Marvel, and Amber pointing their various weapons up at him.

“Oh hey there guys. How’s the weather down there?” Val says as playfully as he can, trying his best to keep the pain from visibly affecting him.

“Why don’t you come down and see for yourself,” Kai shouts back.

Val shrugs. “I’ll have to pass. Weather’s rather lovely up here after all.”

“Well if you won’t come down, guess we’ll have to force you to,” Kai responds with a smirk.

Val responds with his own smirk as images of the Career pack’s inability to climb anything come to mind. “I’d love to see you try!”

Kai scowls and marches to the tree, beginning to climb it with Glimmer cheering him on. Unfortunately, Kai is much too heavy and his arms strain from supporting his weight until finally, he falls onto the ground before he can even get a quarter of the way up.

“It’s also a lovely day to get a neck injury if you want. I don’t mind either way,” Val yells down at Kai who bristles like an angry Buttercup.

“Let me try, Kai,” Glimmer says as she makes her way to the tree and starts to climb it. Then she immediately hops back down with a pained cry. “My nail!” she shouts as she looks at her hand with a nail that had started to bleed slightly from a loose splinter.

Kai scoffs in disgust at her display and looks to the others. Marvel shrugs to say he too can’t climb a tree, Amber mournfully shakes her head, and Clove rolls her eyes like Kai’s an idiot for forgetting that climbing was not something their training focused on.

“Then we’ll try this another way,” Kai scowls as he hefts his spear up into position and launches it at Val.

Val quickly ducks behind the tree trunk but thankfully, he’s too high up. The spear falls short and back onto the ground. Marvel steps up to try and the spear goes a bit higher than Kai’s did but still a good foot or two away from reaching Val. 

Clove gets pushed up to the plate and she glares at Kai as she readies only one knife. She throws it as hard as she can but only manages to lodge it about three feet below where Val is. Clove pointedly looks at Kai as if to say see? Your dumb idea didn’t work and now I’m down one knife. 

Kai scowls back and shoots a look at Glimmer who preens under his attention. She walks up to the tree and nocks an arrow in her bow. She draws the string back and Val almost laughs out loud at her posture. It screamed of her incompetence. Her shoulders were unstable, her arms were shaking, she had one eye closed for aiming, and even her tongue was sticking out a bit in concentration. Then she releases the arrow and it goes wide. So wide that Val actually let’s a laugh loose before quickly covering his mouth to stop any further laughter from coming out. His shoulders shake though and Glimmer turns red in indignation.

“You mind if I finally get a chance at that bow?”

Val’s laughter immediately ceases, the wind knocked out of his lungs when he hears that voice. The voice that always carried the right amount of snark and compassion to let you know when you were being stupid and when you were really being stupid. The voice of the person he’d been searching for since yesterday. Val forces his gaze down as he sees Katniss walks up to the Careers like she’s an ally and his heart squeezes with indiscernible emotions.

“Yeah, no. I don’t think so,” Kai responds with a flat look.

Glimmer eagerly nods along. “Exactly what Kai said. How do we know you are not going to take the bow and shoot us all with it?”

Katniss scowls at them. “Cause I’m your ally and you guys outnumber me five to one,” she said in such a “no duh” way.

“What the hell is this, Katniss?” Val asks, voice surprisingly steady despite how genuinely shaken to the core he is.

Katniss looks up at him, expression full of guilt but eyes still hard as steel. “Sorry Val,” she says apologetically but it sounded fake to his ears, “No hard feelings, but I’m doing this for my own sake. I need to go back home to my family after all.”

And it’s like she had just taken a knife and stabbed him in the heart even though she was down on the ground and he was up in a tree. She needs to go back home to _her_ family. Like he suddenly wasn’t her brother anymore. Like he hadn’t done all he did, sacrificed all he had, willingly put himself in the line of fire for her and _their_ family. 

“Then was all that talk about protecting and saving your martyr of a brother just for show?” he shakily asks, emotions threatening to bubble over as he clenches his fists in a sad attempt to rein them in.

She shrugs. “You said it yourself. This whole thing is a show and all I’m doing is making myself the main protagonist.”

“Damn that’s cold,” Marvel hisses in mock sympathy. The other Careers laugh in response.

Clove stays silent throughout the entire exchange because what else can she do that doesn’t endanger either of the siblings? If she said something to Val, it would reveal his connection to her and possibly clue in the wrong people about his past. If she said something to Katniss, the others might catch on to the fact that there was more to Katniss’ alliance than they initially believed. Because despite their well founded distrust, the other Careers did actually believe when she said she was only in it to stab her brother in the back, not save him in the most emotionally damaging and convoluted way possible. Whoever helped Katniss come up with this plan, cause no offense but she didn’t have it in her to be manipulative like this, was one crafty and sick son of a bitch. So silent she stayed, even though she could see the gut wrenching guilt in Katniss’ eyes and the devastating pain in Val’s.

“As touching as this family reunion is,” Kai casually drawls out, “It’d be even more touching if you’d just come down, boy on fire.”

Val takes a shaky breath to try and steady himself. “I’ll have to pass. I don’t take kindly to family members stabbing each other in the backs, especially not after all that they’ve been through together.”

Katniss visibly flinches but quickly composes herself so that no one but Clove saw her reaction.

“Well you’ll have to come down sometime. For food or water or even just to go to the bathroom,” Marvel comments to which Kai nods in agreement.

“Well I’ve actually got enough food and water to last me a good while and who says I need to be on the ground to pee?” Val cheekily responds.

Glimmer and Amber look disgusted at the thought of Val doing his business up in a tree and the contents of that business potentially falling down on them. The two girls take a wide step back from the tree much to the other’s displeasure. 

“No point in arguing with him right now,” Katniss says to Kai, “Val can be really stubborn about the stupidest shit so the best thing we can do is to wait him out.”

“Yeah, it’s not like he can actually go anywhere as long as we’re down here,” Clove interjects. “He’s like a cat stuck in a tree with the only way left to go is down into our loving embrace.”

Kai scowls at the thought of having to wait to kill someone but concedes to the points made. The sun’s already going down anyway to the Careers might as well make camp for the night and kill Val in the morning or whenever he tries to make his escape. Once a fire gets going, the Careers start joking and playing around, coming up with all sorts of ways to torture or kill Val once they got their hands on him. 

Katniss has been occasionally glancing up to where Val still sits on the tree. Her expression flits between stone cold and guilt ridden as her heart clenches at the pain she caused. Val was always the strong one in the family, both physically and emotionally. But any hurt that involved family was one that would fester within him before taking years to finally scar over. 

Clove sits off to the side, silently watching Katniss and thinking about the bitter irony of how she was now the one who would have to play the therapist and relationship fixer to Val after years of him doing it for her when they were both younger. She shakes her head and sighs to herself. What the hell has her life become?

Val sits up in the tree in a daze, still shaken by what just occurred. A tear rolls down his face as pain shoots through him but he can’t tell if it’s coming from the burn on his leg or the wound in his heart.

“Hey Haymitch,” Val shakily says up to the darkening sky, “I know it’s kind of early. But I could really do with something to help stop the pain…Please.”

Which pain? He doesn’t elaborate because he still doesn’t know which one is currently hurting the most.

Haymitch absentmindedly sips at his brightly colored drink. It’s just juice in a martini glass since he did promise that he wouldn’t get drunk for as long as his mentees were alive but dammit, he still has an image to uphold.

His attention wanders back to the large screen broadcasting the Games. Previously, it displayed young Rue flitting through the trees as she somehow managed to chat the ears off of Thresh who was steadfastly walking down below with a sword at the ready for any unexpected foes.

Now the screen showcases the pained face of Val as he clutches at his injured leg from what looks to be a burn while pointedly looking anywhere but down. Before he could process his confusion at the sight, the screen quickly changes focus to the scene at the bottom of the tree, namely the Careers...and Katniss.

‘Shit,’ Haymitch thought as his mind clicks with understanding. The plan. They had reached that part of the plan much sooner than he had anticipated. He was originally going to send a gift with a note that would help clue Val in or at least soften the blow when it actually happened but damn. Haymitch quickly glances around to take stock of the reactions to the current situation before them and he’s pleased to see many citizens murmuring in sympathy for Val. Some are even dabbing tears out of their eyes and bemoaning the backstabbing betrayal of the disloyal younger sister to her self-sacrificing older brother. 

Well. The plan’s working perfectly then. Guilt immediately floods his being. Because this plan was mainly his idea, one that he had off-handedly suggested to Katniss who had taken what he said and ran with it. The survival of her and her brother relying on an alliance with the Careers to make sure they held an advantage over the most dangerous killers in the Games.

Katniss had originally wanted to let Val in on the plan but he said it wouldn’t do any good because Val’s reaction to her supposed betrayal had to be as genuine as possible to really sell it, especially to the powers that be.

Haymitch sighs and rubs at the back of his head, heavily conflicted on his next steps. The entire situation has already gone way beyond anything he anticipated. The siblings really were turning into a tragedy worthy of the long dead and Burned writer, William Shakespeare.

Then the audio of Val’s plea for help drifts through his ears. His words shake as he speaks them, he’s still in shock as if his mind is no longer able to process what is happening before him.

Haymitch places his glass down with a groan. He suddenly felt very tired and in desperate need of an alcohol induced nap. But he had a situation to fix and a relationship to mend before it actually broke. Ugh. He’s gotten so invested now that he’s no longer able to see the edge of the hole he’d dug himself into by...caring. 

He stands and gives the room a once over, quickly zeroing in on a small group of neon shaded citizens who were either outright sobbing or woefully lamenting for Val’s predicament. He then turns up his charm, placing as engaging a smile as he can after way too many years of not giving a shit, and walks over.

Night had finally fallen. 

The Careers already asleep for the past hour or so, not even bothering to stay awake long enough to hear the announcements. Not that there were any announcements to hear since no one died today. Only the Panem Anthem played to signal the end of the day. No holograms, no pictures with numbers of the fallen. Val feels that he should be grateful that everyone managed to survive another day even though it was only the second one.

However, he’s much too exhausted to muster up any emotion to break through the numbness he’s feeling. He’s still reeling from Katniss’ rather sudden betrayal. Only through the obsessive use of the mental gymnastics his brain went through to justify her actions did the initial sting dull down to a throbbing pain.

They were only family by name, not by blood. He had only gotten lucky that her father had found him when he did otherwise he might be lying dead in from natural causes or bullet holes somewhere in the forests of 12 or stuck as an avox in the employ of the Capitol. She’s only doing this to protect Prim, to distance herself from Val who’s volatile past could catch up to him at any moment the longer he stayed alive in the Games.

Then his mind started going through what he could only describe as conspiracy theories. Katniss was actually a master manipulator this whole time, or a sociopath who only cared for the purely innocent such as Peeta and Prim. Val was actually already dead and had been since he arrived in the forests of 12 all those years ago and he’s just stuck in hell now. Or even more crazier, Haymitch had actually come up with this plan where Katniss, the worst actress in the history of forever who couldn’t lie without punching someone in the face, allied with the Careers to keep them off Val’s track at the potential cost of her own life.

Okay so maybe that last theory might not be as crazy as it sounded but Val firmly refuses to believe it because Katniss would never agree without giving him some form of a heads up that wouldn’t leave him reeling with an emotional pain he hasn’t felt since his dad died. And even if she did on the off chance that Haymitch would find a way to signal to Val what was to come, she wouldn’t be able to lie the way she had without looking or even subtly acting like she wanted to stab herself with a knife instead. Because Katniss hated liars and she especially hated people who emotionally manipulated others no matter the reason.

Regardless, it’s not like Val can ask her. She’s fast asleep on the ground, her position close to the rest of the Careers but still far enough away that if one of them so much as twitched her way, she’d already be long gone. And even if he could, depending on what wild theory in his head was true, he’d either give himself more grief or be the cause of her death. Neither option was appealing.

Val’s thoughts are broken when he shifts a bit and his attention is drawn back to the pain in his leg. He bites his lip to stop a cry of pain as he clutches at the area around the burn, squeezing the muscle around it to numb the pain.

Then he hears a faint yet steady beeping sound coming from above him and growing closer by the moment. Val looks up in confusion that’s cleared when he sees a small parachute with an even smaller metal container attached at the end floating down towards him. 

He holds out a hand to catch it, thankful that the parachute hadn’t gotten tangled up on the way down. He pops open the metal container and takes a small metal tin out. After placing the container to the side, Val pries the lid off to reveal its contents. Within the tin is some kind of gel, most likely for his burn. The strong medicinal smell of the gel shocks him a bit as this gel is definitely the high quality stuff that only the higher elites could ever afford in 2 and no one in 12 would ever be able to let alone even see in their lifetime. Well, considering it was still rather early in the games, the price for this gel probably hadn’t reached unprecedented heights yet. 

Val scoops a little bit of the gel out of the tin and gently rubs it onto his burn. He hisses at the initial sting when the gel comes into contact with his injury. Then he relaxes when the sting becomes a cooling sensation that leeches the pain away the more he spreads the gel.

Once he’s spread enough of the gel over his burn, he wipes any excess back into the tin. Waste not, want not, especially with a medicine of such high quality and the very distinct possibility the Game Makers might want to have another go at setting him on fire for real. He puts in the tin in one of the many pockets his jacket so conveniently provided.

Then Val grabs for the metal container and parachute. He carefully removes the parachute from the container, making sure not to break the rather strong string and durable cloth as they could come in handy in the future. He takes another look at the container and realizes that there is a small, folded note inside.

He takes out the note which says “Your eyes only. Read carefully.” At first he’s confused. But then Val remembers that there had to be millions of cameras all over the arena in order for the Game Makers to keep track of them and to broadcast whatever they wanted to. Val pales slightly as the memory of what he did last night comes to mind before immediately dismissing the thought. The Hunger Games were live but never actually _live_. They were still heavily edited to only show what the Game Makers wanted and his little send off would definitely be in the top ten things that will never be aired. 

Still keeping the warning in mind, Val hunches over the note and opens it in a way that his palms also formed a bit of a shield around it’s contents. Against the white paper were the black ink words “I’m sorry this got to you too late. Don’t blame her. Keep playing along.”

Val immediately crumbles the note in his hand and shove it into a pocket. He wants to scream. He wants to rage and shout and curse at Haymitch for manipulating Katniss into participating in one of the few things she hated with a passion of a hundred burning suns.

And he also wants to rip Katniss a new one for actually believing that Haymitch, their perpetually drunk, probably has alcohol for blood, mentor, would actually follow through on his side of the deal when he knows what would better entertain the Capitol citizens than either of the siblings. Real emotional trauma versus somewhat faked reaction to familial betrayal. It’s a no-brainer really which one the Capitol would much prefer to watch. And it’s also still surprising that no matter how tough or jaded she acts, Katniss can still be so naive.

Then he wants to rage at the Capitol for allowing this to happen in the first place, for approving such acts for the sake of _quality entertainment_.

But he’s still numb from the pain of Katniss’ “betrayal” and he’s still tired from all that had occurred today. It’s already nighttime anyways. He might as well just sleep it all off and see what tomorrow brings. Maybe things will actually go his way. He could escape from this tree, from the Careers down below, and grab Katniss on his way out where they could just live off the arena land until everyone else killed each other off without the siblings having to lift a finger. The morphlings from 6 managed to do it, even though it scarred them so heavily that they were forever addicted to the painkillers that gave them their Victor moniker.

Oh well. All he can hope for now is to find a way out of his current situation and maybe take a Career or two down with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the reunion is done! With a rollercoaster of emotions that I hope was believable for you guys instead of like one of those joke, trolling coasters where stuff’s missing that people build in game simulators for the lol’s. I also hope the logic behind Val’s thought process and Katniss’ actions make sense and don’t feel like I’m just trying to be plot twisty to be plot twisty. Anyways, in the next chapter we get to see Thresh and Rue and get to have more interactions with Clove! So I hope you guys are looking forward to it. Until next time!


	20. The Tracker Jacker Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the greatest alliance of all Hunger Games history begins with a tracker jacker's nest and a terrible idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? Alright, now we’re dealing with the aftermath of Katniss’ rather poor choice of actions while also getting to the part where Rue comes in and the alliance that they formed actually starts to matter. Also, I’m not really going to include a section of what Katniss, Clove, and Rue were up to in this chapter cause I feel like it’ll bog down the story flow a bit. 
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Val jerks awake the moment the light from the rising sun hits him in the face. 

He blinks rapidly and raises a hand up against the light. He’s also very confused because his designated sleeping tree is positioned so that the light would never get in his face until the sun had completely risen. Then he looks down and the confusion immediately clears.

Down below him are the Careers, still sound asleep. The fire from last night now just a pile of ash surrounded by small rocks and sleeping Careers. Kai sleeps on his side near the fire pit, hand loosely gripping his spear. Marvel sleeps against the trunk of the tree Val’s on, spear leaning against him as he softly snores away. Glimmer is curled up between Marvel and Kai though she clearly shifted towards Kai during the night. Her hands are close by his feet and nowhere near her bow and arrow. Clove sleeps soundly near a bush, obviously positioning herself there so if trouble came a calling, she could immediately roll over for cover. And Katniss sleeps nearby Clove, her slight twitching and soft muttering attesting to her uneasy sleep.

Val feels somewhat guilty as he looks down at his sister, shifting back and forth as if caught in a nightmare. He almost wants to forgive her for her “betrayal”. She was just following a plan, a very stupid plan, but given the way the Capitol folk treat the Games, it’s still a plan nonetheless. 

Then he scowls because he shouldn’t forgive her. He doesn’t want to forgive her! That stunt she pulled could’ve gotten her killed and it almost got him killed! And he never thought she would agree to use manipulation of any kind to achieve her goals. It was one of her three things to punch people over, sitting snuggle up there with willful stupidity and malicious lying. And he especially isn’t going to forgive Haymitch for coming up with this plan and convincing her it was the right thing to do.

But he knows that with enough time, he will eventually find it in him to forgive her and her false betrayal will become another scar on his heart. Val turns his attention to his leg, wondering how well the burn gel worked. Then he does a double take because damn. That gel works really, really well. His burn is almost completely healed, only red irritated skin left in place of the black and blisters of yesterday. Maybe he will forgive Haymitch but only a little bit though cause he’s still an asshole.

With his injury no longer a pressing issue, Val returns his attention to the Careers down below. He has no idea what to do. If he tries to climb down, the ground around the tree is covered in dry leaves without a single opening to allow him to escape unheard no matter how quiet he tries to be. He looks around at the trees nearby but they’re all positioned out of reach and the ones that are close enough, don’t have branches strong enough to support his weight.

Val leans back against the tree with a heavy sigh. Looks like he’ll just have to power through another day of sitting up here, twiddling his thumbs, while the Careers throw words and weapons at him.

Then he hears the branches of a nearby tree move. He quickly draws the short sword from his backpack and looks up wearily. The branches continue to shake until finally, Rue climbs up to greet him a wide grin full of mischief.

Val lowers the sword in relief. He gives Rue a small wave that she returns in kind. He’s about to greet her when she holds up a finger to her lips, an indication to be quiet. Then she points up at a spot just above him. Val trails his gaze to where she’s pointing and his mouth shuts with an audible quick. He almost falls off the branch in shock because death and danger were apparently closer to him than the Careers last night.

A few feet above his head is a branch with a bee’s nest hanging off the end. Now normally he’d just brush it off since bees are harmless and he’s not allergic. But this bee’s nest is no ordinary bee’s nest. It’s a tracker jacker nest. Val had seen a tracker jacker nest before, once in the deep parts of the forests of 12. When he first came across it, he had no clue what sort of bug hung around it as he had found a corpse of what looked to be a wasp but it was almost completely gold in color. He had then gotten stung by one and quickly fled into the lake when the rest soon followed and would greatly appreciate never repeating that ever again. 

It wasn’t until later, after he was taken in by the Everdeens, that Ed told him of the genetically engineered animals that were created by the Capitol during the old wars. Some were still kept around to continue to assert the Capitol’s control over the Districts. The tracker jackers, genetically engineered wasps, were the worst in that they attacked those who came too close to their nests and would continue to hunt their prey down with stings full of venom that cause vivid hallucinations and death if stung one too many times. Ed told him the only viable strategies to escape trackers jackers were fire, water, or directing them to another target.

Val looks to Rue with an expression of gratitude for her warning. She giggles and shakes her head. She mimes sawing at the branch and points at the sword that’s still in his hand, then down below at the Careers. He immediately gets the picture and his gratitude turns incredulous at her crazy ass idea.

Rue giggles again before waving and jumping off the branch, hopping through the trees like a squirrel. Val watches her go and once she’s far enough, sees a large dark figure that can only be Thresh emerge from the shadows of the trees and rush off after her.

Val sighs, mind racing because there’s no way he’s going to commit to such a crazy idea just to get out of his current situation, right? Right? He looks back up at the tracker jacker nest and then back down below at the Careers. Ugh. He really doesn’t have any other option available to him right now so guess he’ll just have to hope that he manages to escape mostly unscathed. 

Val unties himself from the trunk and hefts his backpack up in preparation for a hasty retreat the moment he’s done cutting the branch.

Meanwhile, down below, Katniss awakens, jerking up with a gasp that she immediately throws her hands over her mouth to smother. She takes a few moments to take in her surroundings and a few breaths to calm down. Then she looks up to see her brother do one of the stupidest things she’s ever seen him do. 

She silently makes her way to Clove, who thankfully wasn’t too far so the dried leaves weren’t much of an issue. She quickly shakes Clove who jerks up with a knife held to her throat. Katniss holds her hands up in surrender and stares wide eyed at her. Clove blinks, registering who actually woke her up and puts her knife away to Katniss’ relief. Clove opens her mouth to ask what’s going on but stops when Katniss gestures for her to keep quiet and to look up. Clove does and immediately deadpans because of course her best friend’s would be doing something incredibly stupid to get out of a bad situation. It was dumb of her to think he outgrew such tendencies. 

Katniss then gestures for the two of them to leave as swiftly as possible. Clove nods in agreement. The two girls slowly stand up, gather their things, and proceed to leave the small clearing as quietly as they can.

The two are gone while Val continues sawing the branch, movements as smooth as possible to prevent any shaking that may alert the tracker jackers to his presence. Unfortunately, he’s only about half way through when the deadly wasps grow agitated, the branch lowering from the weight of the nest and Val’s cuts. The few that are buzzing nearby deem Val enough of a threat to start stinging him. He slaps at his neck when he’s stung and starts swatting at the other wasps while still sawing with the sword.

Soon enough, Val redoubles his efforts, abandoning all efforts to go unnoticed and instead trying to finish the job as soon as possible to minimize the damage. His vision starts to grow hazy as his arm gives up sawing and just starts hacking away at the branch as hard as he can.

Finally, just as his mind becomes heavy and his thoughts foggy, the branch drops down with a loud snap that has the Careers jerking awake. They look around disoriented only for them all to jump quickly onto their feet when the nest hits the ground and smashes into pieces, releasing the deadly insects inside. The tracker jackers buzz angrily before swarming the closest target, who just so happened to be Glimmer.

Glimmer screams and thrashes as the tracker jackers swarm her. Every inch of her body is covered by small, golden bugs that aggressively sting at every available surface until finally, she abruptly dies from the venom coursing through her veins. Her voice cuts off mid-scream.

Throughout the attack, Marvel manages to escape without a single sting since he’d been far enough away from the nest when it fell. Kai scrambles away as quickly as he can but manages to get stung a few times. Anger overtakes him and he starts lashing out wildly with his spear. He manages to scratch Amber who had been stung as well while watching Glimmer die with morbid curiosity. Amber, drawn out of her trance by the scratch, violently lashes out at Kai with a harsh punch to his jaw. The force of her blow manages to immediately bruise his face. 

The two stare each other down and it looks as if they’re about to go at each other but the sound of the cannon and harsh buzzing of the tracker jackers snap them out of it. The two remaining Careers scramble away from the clearing as the deadly wasps chase them down.

As soon as they are gone, Val shakily climbs down the tree, his limbs growing heavy and numb with each passing moment. His foot slips on a branch and he falls the rest of the way down, landing heavily on his back. He blinks rapidly, trying to clear his vision but it only grows blurrier as the effects of the venom start to distort his perception. 

He blinks again as he crawls over to Glimmer’s still body, her once beautiful face now blotchy and swollen. He clumsily pries the bow and arrows that were clasped tightly in her hands away. Then he hears someone shouting at him from behind. He turns his head as the blurry image of Katniss appears before him. She looks upset and is yelling something about an idiot and to go.

Val weakly shoves her away as he stumbles up to his feet with newly acquired bow and arrows in hand. She tries to grab at him to support him, her voice still sounding distorted to his ears. But he shoves at her again, more harshly this time as he mumbles some unintelligible curses at her. After all, one night isn’t enough time to get over a betrayal like hers no matter how fake it was supposed to be.

Katniss looks hurt and she says something again but Val’s already checked out. He turns his back on her and stumbles out of the clearing as quickly as he can. He looks back after a bit to see if any one may be following after him. But he’s alone. 

Val continues to stumble as quickly as he can do an undetermined path with the only destination being “away from here.” Slowly, the forest distorts around him until it warps into something different, something familiar. The tall trees shrink down till the tops are only a few feet above him. The dirt floor becomes soft grass and the dried leaves grow into the colorful flowers of his youth. The scenery around him has changed into the backyard of his home in 2. 

Val blinks and right in front of him is his father, looking just as he had the day everything changed. Cayden Evans smiles down at Val as he takes his hands and grips them tight. “Keep on living, son. No matter how tired you get, no matter how hard it seems. Keep on living.” 

Then with a blink, his dad is replaced by his mother, strong and healthy without a single trace of disease in her appearance. She’s kneeling by the flowerbed, her face streaked with dirt and her apron covered in soot. Cathleen Evans turns to Val with a smile and offers him a red chrysanthemum. He reaches out to take it and suddenly it’s like he’s Cato again. Just that little boy from 2 with a loving mother and strong father making one small but happy family. 

Val’s eyes fill with tears as he opens his mouth to speak to his mom for the first time since she died. But she gently shakes her head and says, in that soft yet wise voice of hers, “Be strong, my little mockingjay. And never, ever forget.”

“Mom,” Val says, reaching out to her. Then a blink and he makes a strangled sound as she suddenly grows thin and sickly, her cheeks hollowing and skin yellowing until she falls back onto the green grass, dead. Next to her lies the bullet ridden body of his dad. 

He chokes back a scream when red blood pools across the green grass and suddenly, in place of the flowerbeds, are the bodies of his dead family. Their faces full of horror as their wide, unseeing eyes stare back at him almost accusingly. Disembodied voices scream and shout all around him. Screeching cries, tearful shouts, and hateful accusations hurl down at Val as he falls to his knees, hands pressed against his ears to try and block it all out. But it’s to no avail as the mournful cries of his relatives continue to ask why they had to die while he got to live. Tears fall as Val chokes out sobs for forgiveness because he still doesn’t know, to this day, why he was the only one who lived. Then the voices that cry out diminish until only one voice remains. 

Another blink and Val wails out in despair as Prim stands before him. Her beautiful, white Reaping day dress stained heavily red as blood drips down from her face. She stares accusingly at his kneeling form.

“How could you let us die? I thought we were your family!” she shouts at him, voice full of venom the real Primrose Everdeen could never muster no matter how angry she became. But even though Val knows this, the hallucination still wins out over his common sense as the false Prim hisses words that drive daggers straight into his heart. “But I guess that’s just what happens to anyone in your family. They all get killed but only you get to live on, happy and healthy until you get your next family killed as well. You’re like a bad luck charm, Val. The only common denominator to a cycle of death that will never end until you do.” 

Val blinks through the tears and suddenly, Prim is gone. He looks around desperately and sees he’s in the forests of 12, near the cave he had called his home for six months before he was found. Val turns back to where Prim stood and in her place is Gale with that ruggedly handsome smile of his that Val would never admit had charmed him since they’d first met. 

“Gale,” Val chokes out as he stumbles towards him, hand hesitantly reaching out as if he can’t believe that the young man he had loved since he first understood what it meant to love was standing before him. 

“Hey Val,” Gale says back, gently taking Val’s hand into his own.

“What are you doing here? No better yet, how are you here?” Val asks, still in disbelief.

“Oh, I think you know the answer to that,” Gale cheekily responds, his grip tightening unexpectedly.

Val winces. “What? I don’t...I don’t understand.”

Then blood slowly starts to drip down Gale’s face as various wounds appear all over his body. Val watches in horror as Gale smiles at him, teeth stained red. “It’s because the only way I can be with you...is in hell.”

Val screams as the image of the bloodied Gale warps and distorts. He grabs at his head as pain shoots through him until his vision clears enough to see that he’s back in the arena forest. He blinks and suddenly, the forest floor is rushing up to greet him. 

Another blink.

Then black.

His awakening is a gradual process.

First, he comes to awareness, vision still black as his mind slowly awakens.

Then his limbs twitch and shift. They’re heavy and numb from disuse.

Then his brow furrows as he slowly opens his eyes. He winces at the bright light and has to hold up a hand to shield his vision as he blinks rapidly to clear it.

Finally, his vision clears and he struggles to push himself up into a seated position. He looks around, taking in his surroundings. He’s in another clearing that is sufficiently covered by a large amount of brush with a few trees nearby tall and sturdy enough to escape on if need be. 

Then his mind registers cooling sensations all over various points on his body. He looks down and examines his arms to see patches of some herbal paste plastered all over. He reaches up to his neck and pulls his hand away to see the same paste on it. It seems someone made an herbal remedy for his tracker jacker stings.

“You’re awake!”

Val’s head snaps up to see a greatly relieved Rue rush over to kneel down beside him. 

“R-Rue?” he croaks out, voice harsh and dry from disuse.

She puts a bowl full of herbal paste down beside her. He looks down to see that the bowl is actually half of the container his tribute gift came in. Rue notices his stares and starts to fidget.

“I’m really sorry I went through your stuff. But I wanted to use something cleaner for the paste than a piece of tree bark,” she explains nervously.

Val smiles at her though it feels more like a grimace and he tries to reassure that it was alright but he ends up coughing harshly instead. She jumps up in a panic.

“Oh wait! Water! Let me get you some water!”

She rushes over to a tree and expertly climbs its trunk until she reaches a branch where a bunch of bags were tied together. She removes a backpack and swiftly climbs down, falling the last few feet with a soft thud. She rushes back to him and takes out the water bottle that sits in the side mesh pocket.

Val gratefully uncaps the bottle and chugs down half its contents in one go. Once he’s sufficiently hydrated, he looks at the backpack and realizes that it’s his. Rue hands it over to him with a smile.

“I’m glad you’re awake, Val,” she says. Then she jumps up in excitement. “Hold on a bit. I’m going to go get the others!”

Val blinks, bewildered as he watches the whirlwind that is Rue, whirl right out of the clearing. He’ll never understand where kids get all their energy from. He wasn’t ever that active when he was a kid...was he? He’s shaken from his musing when Rue whirls right back into the clearing with Clove and Katniss following closely behind. 

“Glad to know you’re still as invincible as when we were kids,” Clove casually remarks with her arms crossed.

She’s as neutral faced as ever though her body language gives away her true thoughts. Even after eight years, Val can still read her like a book. The slight furrow in her brow relaying her concern towards his well being while her loose posture tell of her relief that he hasn’t gotten himself killed, yet. 

Val smiles at her unspoken concern. “Well someone had to be considering you were always the one dragging me into trouble. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the time you somehow managed to convince me that it was a good idea to go through the mills to find Delilah’s cat instead of letting the adults take care of it,” he teases.

Clove blushes softly and turns her head to the side with a scoff. “Oh please,” she said, “We all know that the only reliable adults were your parents and they were too busy with their anniversary. I didn’t wanna bother them.”

“Awww, you do have a heart somewhere in that stone cold body of yours,” Val coos.

“I’ll show you stone cold,” Clove hisses threateningly at him with a fist raised. Val laughs in response.

“Um, not to interrupt or anything but is it a good idea for you two to be casually talking like this considering where we are?” Katniss interrupts with an actual sensible question that has Val’s eyebrows rising in surprise. “Oh and by the way, I’m really glad you’re still safe, bro.”

Katniss looks at him, relieved as if some great burden had been lifted off her shoulders but she’s hesitant in her approach. Val narrows his gaze at her, scowling something fierce as her pace slows when her eyes meet his own. She doesn’t know how to approach after what she’d done and he’s not feeling so forgiving right now.

“Oh so now you show concern for my well being? Now I’m your bro again?,” Val asks, tone gaining a bitter edge. “What was it you said yesterday?” he pauses as if to recall something he will never forget. “Oh right, that I wasn’t your brother and that you were only looking out for your own interests so that you can go back to your own family as if the last eight years didn’t matter to you as much as it did to me,” he snaps at her.

Katniss flinches and Val feels a sort of vindictive glee at her reaction. Then that vindictive feeling disappears as quickly as it appeared. Because even though he doesn’t want to let go of his anger at her actions, doesn’t want to be the forgiving older brother like he always is. He doesn’t have it in him to do it. 

Maybe when he was still just a little boy in 2, he would’ve held a grudge until Katniss managed to pay her due twenty times over because that was the kind of person he was. Key word was. 

After all that’s happened after his family was killed and he made his way into the Everdeen family in 12, he realized that there’s no point in letting negative emotions influence him because that’s just no way to live. So here he is, eight years, with a gained sense of empathy that he desperately held onto until it became such an integral part of himself that no matter how much he wants to be vindictive or have some petty revenge, he won’t follow through because there’s just no point.

He sighs. “You know what. Forget what I said. I know you were just doing what you thought was best even though trusting everything Haymitch says really shouldn’t count. I apologize for snapping at you.”

Katniss shakes her head, her expression full of regret as she says, “No, I should be the one apologizing. I should’ve told you what we were planning so then at least you could’ve been prepared. Instead of just hoping that you’d get a message before we even crossed paths…”

“What was the plan anyways? Besides allying with the Careers,” he asks, genuinely curious.

“Well…the plan was to ally with the Careers and then do whatever I could to draw them away from you while building some form of trust with them so that they wouldn’t immediately suspect me if something went wrong. Then once enough days passed, I was going to slowly start sabotaging them,” she explained, “And if we ever crossed paths with you, I had to pretend that I was betraying you and that our united front was just an act all along and that I was really your rival in the arena.”

“Huh. And I was supposed to get some sort of message or sign that you weren’t actually betraying me before we crossed paths?” he asked.

Katniss nods vigorously. “Yeah. Haymitch was going to send you a tribute gift a few days in with a note that would’ve at least clued you in but we ran into each other way too soon for that to happen.”

He nods along as her expression turns confused. “By the way, how did we cross paths so soon? I thought for sure that you went one way and I was going a completely different one so that we wouldn’t run into each other until at least day three or after?” she asks.

Val takes a moment to think before groaning. Katniss perks up at his reaction. “You know?”

“Yeah I know,” he says.

“Then how?”

“It was the freaking Game Makers,” he hisses out.

Katniss looks at him, eyebrows high with a bewildered expression. “I thought they never interfered until way later in the Game or when nothing exciting’s happened for a while?”

“Yeah well, they apparently thought two days was enough before trying to literally make me the boy on fire,” Val scoffs. “And I’m really starting to get sick of that title now.”

“What’d they do? Set the forest on fire with you in it or something?” 

“You’d think right? But no, they had to send fireballs hurtling at me instead. How’d you think I got this burn?”

“Burn? What burn?”

Val gestures to his leg where his pants were still torn. Katniss looks at him like he’s gone crazy. “You mean you got a sunburn from a fireball?”

Now Val’s looking at her like she’s crazy. He looks down at where his still healing burn should’ve been but instead is met with the sight of a patch of light red skin that did indeed look like sunburn.

“Huh. That medicine was better than I thought,” he comments.

“Whatever you say, bro,” Katniss says, still giving him a funny look. Then she walks over to kneel beside him. “Look. I know you’ll probably never forgive me, but I still just want to say that I’m sorry for everything that happened.”

Val places a comforting hand over her tightly clenched ones. Katniss looks up in surprise to which he responds with a small smile. “You know I’ll always forgive you no matter what Katniss. Even though I really wished you’d told me if only so I could’ve offered a few suggestions of my own.”

Katniss slumps in relief. “But just know that I will never forget that you allowed Haymitch to sucker you into trying to lie your ass off without punching someone’s teeth in,” he teases, “How’d you even do it without spontaneously combusting?”

“Val!” Katniss cries out in embarrassment.

Clove and Rue snicker in the background, reminding the siblings of their audience. Val turns to them and asks, “So...what happened? How long was I out?”

All three girls exchange glances with each other, silent conversations occurring right over his head as he patiently waits for answers. He also marvels at how Rue managed to seamlessly integrate herself into their little makeshift group. He’d always known that Clove and Katniss could’ve been the best of friends if they’d ever been given the opportunity. 

When the siblings made their alliance to Rue, Val thought she’d unintentionally become a substitute for Prim whenever either of them interacted with her. But given her ever-changing expressions during the silent conversation, she’s not only keeping pace but also giving the other two a run for their money. 

Finally, the girls’ conversation seems to end when they all give each other a firm nod and simultaneously turn to face him. Val starts in surprise at their synchronized movement and expressions.

“So after you cut that tracker jacker nest,” Clove starts.

“Which was completely insane by the way. Did my fake betrayal really hurt you enough to scramble your brains too?” Katniss interjects.

Val gives her a flat stare. “It was Rue’s idea.”

Katniss rolls her eyes. “Oh yeah sure. Blame the little kid for your insanity.”

“No, it actually was my idea,” Rue chimes in to which Clove and Katniss both look at her in a mixture of awe and fear.

“Anyways,” Clove continues on with a shake of her head, “After the nest fell, all hell apparently broke loose.”

“Apparently?” he asks, confused.

“We left before you finished cutting,” Katniss responds, “Getting stung by a tracker jacker is definitely not one of my top things to do before I die.”

Val grimaces, running a hand over the dried paste on his right arm. “Yeah. That was definitely not something I’d ever want to do again.”

Rue shuffles her feet, chastised by an unspoken scolding. “I’m sorry about that, Val. I shouldn’t have suggested you cut the nest loose,” she apologizes gloomily.

He shakes his head. “No, no. You were just looking out for me and honestly, if you hadn’t pointed out that nest, I’d still be stuck up that tree for the rest of the day.”

The three girls grimace to which he raises an eyebrow in question.

Clove clears her throat before continuing on, “Anyways, even though we left, we were still close enough to hear the nest break when it finally fell. We stayed hidden behind some bushes when Marvel run by like a bat outta hell. Then shortly after we saw Kai run away with a very disgruntled Amber following after him and a swarm of tracker jackers not too far behind.”

“Yeah. Seemed like those two got stung and they must’ve gotten into it before the swarm had them retreating,” Katniss adds. “Also, Amber is surprisingly violent given her timid personality.”

Clove shrugs. “Well there’s a reason why Kai allowed the two from 3 to join the Careers and it certainly wasn’t for their looks.”

“Oh yeah! We also gotta tell ya about what Noah did,” Katniss says, perking up at her sudden internal reminder.

“Maybe later,” he says. “You still haven’t finished telling me what happened.”

“Right. So after the swarm left, I rushed over to make sure you were alright when I saw you acting all buggy and trying to grab the bow and arrows out of Glimmer’s dead hands,” Katniss says before snarking, “Which by the way, was a really stupid thing to do considering you were also stung and had no way of fighting back if Kai came back.” 

“Huh,” Val says, “So she really did die. Where’s the bow anyway?”

“Here,” Katniss says as she hands over the bow and arrows.

Val stares at the offered weapon before looking to her in question. “Shouldn’t you hold onto that? You’ve always been a better shot than me.”

“Nah,” she waves him off before patting his short sword that’s hanging off her belt, “As much as I love using a bow, I’ve found that this sword suits me much better. It’s more handy!” 

He eyes her warily because while true, Katniss is the better shot of the two, she’s also a brawler and has found much glee in getting to as many fist fights as she can whenever someone’s committed any sort of offense against her or her family. Her having a sword is just asking for trouble but whatever floats her boat.

“Alright, then what happened after you got to me?”

“Well, I told you to get out of here to which you responded rather rudely which was fair considering what went down the night before,” Katniss says.

“Then we sort of waited a bit before following after you to make sure you’d be alright,” Clove continues, “When we finally caught up to you, Rue was already there making some sort of herbal paste to put on your stings.”

“Then we dragged your dead weight body to this clearing with the help of Thresh who’s given me one to many heart attacks already. For a big guy, it’s surprisingly easy to lose track of him in the woods. He just seems to blend into the shadows,” Katniss comments.

Val nods as he digests the information given. “Alright, so how long was I out? Couldn’t have been too long since it seems like it’s only the afternoon,” he remarks as he looks up to the sky to track the position of the sun.

“Actually...” Clove says hesitantly, “It’s been three days.”

Val blinks. 

Then he blinks again. 

“Three days!” he yelps out. “What the hell else did I miss?”

“Actually not much,” she responds, “Just the remaining Careers roaming around the forest on a warpath from what Thresh has seen while Noah still stays behind to guard their supplies. Haven’t run into any other tributes though Katniss had a brief encounter where she literally ran into Foxface before the two scrambled away from the other with the mutual agreement that they never saw each other.”

“Foxface?” he asks, then it clicks. “You mean Finch?” He then looks to Katniss in disappointment. “Oh come on Katniss. At least try to remember the poor girl’s name.”

Katniss scowls and mutters something unintelligible that has Rue giggling in response. Clove clears her throat to bring their attention back to her. 

“So far, in the past three days, only three tributes have died,” she continues on, “Glimmer from the tracker jackers, then the guy from 10 and the girl from 8.”

“Timmer and Savannah,” Val offers to which Clove rolls her eyes and gives a fond smile.

“So the only ones left are us, Thresh, _Finch_ , and the four remaining Careers,” Katniss concludes.

“And where is Thresh?” he asks, looking around to try and find the dark, hulking figure of the aforementioned tribute.

“Oh he’s around,” Clove responds lightly, gesturing vaguely around the forest.

Val’s brow wrinkles in confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means that Thresh only comes to us when he think I need help or there’s something he wants to pass along whether it be information or supplies,” Rue says with a pointed look to Clove who smiles sheepishly. “He used to follow close behind me until I meet up with Katniss and Clove. Then he started taking a few steps back once he was sure I was in good hands.”

“I am so glad I made an alliance with you guys,” Clove says with a shudder, “Cause I do not want to be on the wrong side of that guy. He’s so huge. It’d be like trying to fight a boulder.”

Rue tilts her head in confusion. “What do you mean? Thresh is really big sure, but that’s just from all the work he’s done on the fields. He’s just a big softie.”

“Thresh…a softie,” Clove repeats as if she can’t believe Rue just said that. The little girl nods vigorously, ready to jump to Thresh’s defense.

“Well he was pretty awkward when he offered to form an alliance with us,” Katniss comments.

“Yeah. And it seems like he’s a complete pushover when it comes to you, Rue, so I can sort of believe it?” Val adds reluctantly. 

Rue beams in response. Then silence settles as the girls let Val slowly digest the information they presented.

“So...what are we gonna do now?” he finally asks.

Clove taps her chin thoughtfully. “Well now we’re gonna form an alliance with each other,” she says as she spreads her arms out and sarcastically adds, “Be one big happy family in an arena of death and doom.”

Val smiles wryly at her response while Katniss snickers.

Rue grins and says, “Well I’ve always wanted to have older siblings since I’m the oldest in my family.”

Clove gasps, dramatically shocked. “No way! I’ve always wanted to have a younger sibling and now I have a little sister!”

“So it’s a win win,” Katniss chimes in, “A sibling for me, a sibling for you two, a sibling for him. A fuck ton of siblings for everyone!”

“Katniss! Language!” Val scolds with a stern expression.

She sputters at him. “What the fuck Val?” she asks in disbelief, “We’re in an arena controlled by psychopaths and full of kids trying to kill each other for the entertainment of mentally fucked up adults. I think swearing is the last thing I need to worry about.”

He merely frowns in response, crossing his arms as he enters lecture mode. “That’s still no excuse. There are many impressionable young children who have to watch these games so the least you can do is impart good manners and behaviors on them to counter the violence and bloodshed,” he says as he wags a finger at her like she’s some dog who misbehaved. 

Rue stares, completely bewildered. “Is he serious?”

“As a heart attack unfortunately,” Katniss deadpans.

Clove blinks as if she’s just seeing Val for the first time. “Wow. I never thought I’d see the infamous mother hen mode again.”

Katniss snaps her head to Clove with an open mouthed stare. “Holy shit, he did that to you too?”

Clove nods. “Mhm. But then again, he’s always been surprisingly mature for his age so...” 

She trails off as Katniss squints her eyes at Val as if a narrow field of vision will suddenly reveal all the secrets of the world to her. “Oh! Yeah, yup, I see it,” Katniss says, “He’s like an old man in a teenager’s body. Or would it be an old woman?” she ponders before clicking her tongue with a sideways glance. “What a waste of a pretty face.”

Clove and Rue nod along sagely. Val sputters in indignation. “Why are you all ganging up on the injured person?”

Both Katniss and Clove give him a _look_ to which he throws his hands up in exasperated surrender. “Okay you know what. How about we go searching for food and supplies cause you can never have enough of that, especially with four, or is it five?”

“Just four. Thresh prefers to take care of himself and he only pops up when he thinks I need help,” Rue responds.

Val nods. “Alright then, we’ve got four people we need to feed and water on the regular so shall we go?” he says with a flourishing bow.

“We shall, good sir,” Clove curtsies in response, which has all four allies laughing in response as they sent forth to complete their newly established goal for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the grand alliance has been forged! I hope it was everything you guys were expecting. I will be adding a mini chapter on what Katniss, Clove, and Rue were up to the three days Val was out just so it doesn’t feel like you’ve been robbed of interaction between the three of them because the next main chapter will be a dozy. 
> 
> It'll be so much of a dozy in fact that it'll take me a while to write because the next part is the climax of the Games. It's the part that holds a lot of the emotional weight of the story and it's the part where events are set into motion behind the scenes in both the Capitol and the Districts. You all know what I'm talking about (and if you don't, oh you poor innocent child you) so prepare yourself cause it's coming. So I hope you guys don't mind the wait and will enjoy a mini chapter to sate yourselves in the meantime. Until next time!


	21. The Tracker Jacker Alliance: Three Girls and a Friendly (Not) Stalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Katniss, Clove, and Rue were up to for three days while Val was out like a light ft. your friendly neighborhood Thresh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? So here’s that mini chapter I was talking about in which we get to see what Katniss, Clove, and Rue were up. There will be some Thresh sprinkled in here and there and the tone will be different from the rest of the story because I wanted to have some fluff and happy times with these characters before shit gets real in the next chapter.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Katniss’ heart pounds in her chest, its thumping the only sound she can hear as she and Clove hide behind a bush only a few feet away from the clearing they spent the night in with the other Careers.

They wait, as patiently as they can given the circumstances. Katniss twitches restlessly while Clove mindlessly fidgets with the zipper of her jacket. Their heads snap up when the sound of a crash and ensuing screams and shouts echo from the clearing.

The two watch with bated breath as Marvel runs out like a bat out of hell. He’s uninjured as he rushes past their hiding spot without a single glance back. Soon after, an enraged roar and an inhuman snarl sound from the clearing. Then Kai, with a large bruise on his jaw and a few stings trailing down his neck, comes rushing out. He has a white knuckled grip on his spear with blood dripping off its end. A bit after him comes Amber, a snarl mars her face and there’s a wild, almost feral look in her eyes. The knuckles of her left hand are bruised and there’s a thick cut on her face.

As soon as she leaves their line of sight, an angry swarm of gold tinted wasps buzzes after them. Katniss gasps at the sight of the swarm. Clove quickly slaps her hands over her mouth, muffling any further sounds that could draw the swarm’s attention to them. The two refuse to even _breath_ until the swarm disappears from their sight and the angry buzzing fades away into the distance.

Clove breathes a sigh of relief then quickly snatches her hand away from Katniss’ mouth.

“Did you just lick me?” she cries out, shocked at Katniss’ actions.

Katniss glares as she spits the taste of Clove’s hand out of her mouth. “You were smothering me,” she snaps back, “Also, wash your fucking hands. They’re gross as fuck.”

Clove rolls her eyes. “Oh yeah. I’ll be sure to waste a favor by asking my mentor to send me a bar of soap because personal hygiene is totally something I need to worry about in the _Hunger Games_.”

Katniss glares back at her. “You fucking suck.”

“I also fucking swallow,” Clove chirps back with a wink.

Katniss chokes at her response. Clove laughs at her reaction. “Don’t dish it if you can’t take it,” she manages to say between laughs, then she stops mid-laugh. “Are we forgetting something? I feel like we’re forgetting something.”

The two girls look back at the entrance to the clearing and then look back at each other as a light bulb goes off in their heads. 

“Val!” they both cry out before scrambling back to the clearing. Upon entry they see Val fumbling about as he pries the bow and arrows out of Glimmer’s cold hands. He’s clearly been stung a few times given his clumsy movements and dazed expression. Clove reaches out to grab Katniss by the shoulder but Katniss shoves her hand off and rushes over to him.

“Val! What the hell are you doing?” Katniss shouts as she tries to help him stand up, “Get the hell out of here!”

Val mutters incoherently and shoves at her. Katniss stumbles a bit back, hurt at his reaction, but she swallows it down as she watches him struggle to stand and walk properly. She moves to try and support him again but he shoves her even harder this time. His mutterings now clearly sound more like curses that metaphorically stab her as she falls heavily onto the ground.

Clove rushes over to her with a worried expression. “Katniss! Are you okay?”

But Katniss can’t hear her, the words falling on deaf ears as her attention is solely on Val. She numbly watches as he stumbles out of the clearing and out of her sight. Clove continues to lightly shake her until she finally snaps out of it. 

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Are you okay?” Clove carefully asks again.

Katniss goes back to staring at the place where Val disappeared through. She slowly pushes herself off the ground. “I’m fine. My pride’s a bit wounded,” she sighs as she brushes herself off, “Or maybe it’s my heart that’s supposed to be untouchable cause I’m jaded by life? I don’t know. Emotions suck.”

“They sure do,” Clove agrees with a hum. “So what do you wanna do now?”

Katniss takes only a moment to think before answering, “Go after Val, obviously. He’s been stung so he’s probably hallucinating right now. He’s an easy target for any tribute who comes across him, especially if it’s a Career.‘

“Alright,” Clove agrees, “Then let’s go after him. He couldn’t have gone far anyways.”

The two girls head back to their hiding bush to grab their bags and weapons. Then they set off after Val, not even a second glance back at Glimmer’s dead body. They followed the thankfully very obvious trail of destruction he’d left in his haste to just “get away”. 

It took some time for them to catch up to him. He managed to get surprisingly far given his current state of being. The two girls walk through another large gathering of brush and are greeted by the sight of Rue kneeling beside Val’s unconscious body. Katniss and Clove gape at Rue who stares at them, straight faced, as she calmly mashes some sort of herbal paste in a metal bowl.

“If you’re done staring,” Rue says as she turns her attention back to Val, “Do you mind helping me by keeping an eye out for any tributes? Thanks.”

The two girls can only continue to gape at Rue as she methodically slathers the herbal paste over the sting wounds on Val’s exposed arms and neck. The clinical way in which she made the paste and applied it reminded Katniss heavily of Prim and it made her heart hurt even further. Because while she knows she has to make things right with Val, she still has time to do so no matter how limited it might be. But with Prim, all she got was a five minute goodbye that was mostly spent lecturing her mother to make sure Prim would be able to continue living without the hardship that had come from their father’s death. 

Rue turns to give the two girls a _look_ while still continuing her application of the paste. The way in which Rue gazed at them reminded the two heavily of the bedside manner of nurses who had to deal with patients who didn’t want to listen to the doctor’s orders. It has them snapping out of their thoughts and scrambling a short distance out of the clearing they were in to start an impromptu patrol circuit around it. Silence hangs around them as they muse about how intimidating Rue can be and worry about Val’s injured condition.

They only stop when they hear Rue call out to them. “Alright! I’m done! You two can come back!”

They make their way back to the clearing, keeping an eye out for any tributes regardless because they do not need any more surprises after the morning they’ve had. Rue smiles up at them, her cold demeanor from earlier nowhere to be seen and has Katniss and Clove’s minds spinning from the whiplash. But Katniss quickly diverts her attention to Val who looks ridiculous covered in patches of herbal paste, but much more at ease and less pained from his injuries.

“Thank you,” she breathes out in relief.

Rue beams at her. “It’s no problem. You guys are my allies and Val’s really nice so I just had to make sure he was going to be alright.”

“And is he?” Clove asks anxiously, “Going to be alright I mean.”

“Mhm,” Rue nods, smile still bright, “This paste is made of a blend of herbs that absorb tracker jacker toxins. We had a lot of issues with their nests back in 11 so everyone learned to make this paste in case they ever get stung.”

Katniss and Clove slumps in relief. Thankful that their reckless older brother/best friend will be alright after that stupid stunt he’d pulled. How the hell did he think it’d be a good idea to cut a branch with tracker jackers attached to it? While both girls were reckless in their own ways, even they weren’t stupid enough to mess with anything the Capitol had a hand in creating.

“Heh,” Clove chuckles, drawing attention to her, “Looks like he’s still got the devil’s luck. Being able to pull a stunt like that and walk away unscathed.” She glances at the patches of paste again and winces. “Well, mostly unscathed.”

“So how long will it take for the toxins to be absorbed?” Katniss asks.

Rue frowns as she looks back down at Val. “It’ll actually take some time because of how many times he got stung. We’ll need to move him to a less exposed place so he can recover as safely as possible.”

The older girls nod though their brows are furrowed in worry. Rue gestures for them to come over and help her.

“Alright, you two should grab the limbs at either end of his body and then we can hopefully drag him to a more well hidden clearing without leaving any tracks along the way,” she says as she packs her supplies up.

Katniss and Clove look down at Val’s larger and most definitely heavier body then at their limbs which while lean with muscle were nowhere near strong enough to lift his body up even with the three of them. 

Just as they’re about to voice their doubts, a deep voice speaks from directly behind them. “I’ll carry him.”

The older girls scream in surprise as they whirl around to see the large, hulking form of Thresh towering over them. The two clutch at each other as their hearts race in their chests. Katniss’ knees shake and it’s only with Clove’s near death grip around her that keeps her standing.

Rue doesn’t even blink at his sudden appearance. She smiles widely at him and chirps out, “Thanks Thresh! Your help will definitely make things much easier.”

Katniss and Clove can only watch, their bodies still trembling slightly from the jumpscare, as Thresh lumbers over to Val’s unconscious body. He carefully lifts him up, mindful of the wounds, into a princess hold. If Katniss weren’t still scared out of her mind, she would’ve laughed at the sight of tall, dark, and Thresh, carrying her brother around like he was a delicate and fragile doll.

Thresh walks out of the clearing with Rue bouncing along behind him. Rue stops at the edge of the clearing to look back at the two older girls still clutching at each other like a lifeline.

“Are you guys coming or are you going to keep hugging each other?” she asks, tilting her head innocently.

This breaks the two out of their shock and they quickly let go of each other almost to the point of bodily shoving the other onto the ground. Katniss and Clove quickly follow after Rue, looking everywhere but each other as Rue smiles mirthfully ahead of them. Katniss can only silently groan when she sees Rue’s expression. She looks at her brother and can only think that this was going to be a long ass recovery period. And it won’t be because of Val’s shit healing rate. 

Katniss and Clove sit idly by the dying remains of the small fire they had going. Val lies unconscious nearby under some brush Katniss managed to put together into a form of natural cover to hide him whenever any of the girls had to leave. Rue sits up in a nearby tree softly humming a tune to herself as night slowly falls upon them. Once the sun completely sets, it’s not long before the Panem National Anthem plays.

They all look up to see the image of Glimmer lighting up the sky like a digital moon. She smiles coyly with only her District number tagged underneath to identify her. Then the image disappears as the anthem fades out. 

“Thank god that bitch is dead,” Katniss says out of the blue, breaking the silence that had settled. 

“I know right?” Clove agrees with a faint grin, “Always acting all high and mighty and using proper grammar like she’s from the Capitol or something. All she’s missing was a strange accent.”

“Are all people from 1 like that?”

Clove shrugs. “I’m from 2. How am I supposed to know?”

“Fair enough.” Katniss shrugs in kind.

“Poor Marvel though,” Clove sighs, “He really liked her, though I’ll never know why. Apparently they’re childhood friends. But good ol’ Glimmer only ever had eyes for Kai.”

Katniss grimaces. “Ugh. Who the fuck would ever like Kai? He can go fuck himself.”

“Yeah! Fuck Kai!” Clove barks out with a grin.

The two laugh cheerfully as Rue continues to hum above them, graciously allowing the older girls a moment for themselves instead of lecturing them on their language. Swearing is the last thing any of them need to be worrying about after all. And besides, Rue’s heard it all. The fields always get rowdy at night after the adults have had one too many celebratory drinks after a successful harvest.

Katniss methodically skins the animals that were attached to Val’s bag. She silently thanks her brother because at least they don’t have to go hunting or foraging for food for today. Though they might need to tomorrow if none of them manage to find anything.

Katniss looks up when Rue comes bouncing back into the clearing with what looks to be a small bag of berries. Rue halts at the sight of the disassembled animals laid out before Katniss. Katniss raises an eyebrow in question and is about to ask what’s up when Rue suddenly bursts into tears.

“What’s wrong?” Katniss asks in a panic, wanting to go over to her but can’t since she’s got blood and dead animal all over her hands.

“What are you doing to those poor animals?” Rue chokes out between sobs.

Katniss stares at her, flabbergasted. “Uh...” she gapes as she tries to form a response. “Cutting them up for food?”

Rue walks over, still crying, and gathers up the pile of bones Katniss had put aside to deal with later. Katniss then stares, wide-eyed, as Rue proceeds to make a small grave for the bones, even going so far as to place a stone marker and etch “RIP Squirrel and Rabbit” on the top of the dirt mound.

Then Katniss continues to stare in utter bewilderment when not even an hour later, Rue happily eats the cooked meat of the animals she’d just cried over like nothing ever happened.

The girls were just minding their own business, sitting around doing idle work as they wait for Val to just wake up already. The mindlessness of the day is completely interrupted when Thresh appears in the clearing. No sound or movement to indicate his arrival, just a blink and he’s there.

Katniss and Clove both scream and startle at his sudden appearance.

“What the fuck are you? A ghost?” Katniss asks, clutching her chest as she attempts to calm her racing heart.

Clove clutches at her head, rocking back and forth as she mutters, “What...what is this feeling I feel? It’s gripping my chest so tightly. Is it...Is it fear? I hate it! Make it go away!”

Rue takes in Thresh’s reaction to their reaction and frowns at them. “Hey! Don’t say that. You hurt his feelings,” she scolds.

The two older girls look at Thresh who is as stoic and neutral faced as ever. They can’t see any sign of emotion at all, not even a hint of body language to go off of.

“He has feelings?” Katniss’ traitorous mouth asks.

Rue props her hands on her hips as her frown deepens. “Yes, he does and you hurt them. Now apologize!”

“O-okay?” Katniss hastily responds. She and Clove turn to look at Thresh, still stoic and blank faced, and apologize for hurting his feelings. He gives a grunt in response, somehow managing to make a verbal sound without a single facial muscle twitching. 

Rue’s frown turns upside down. “Awww,” she coos, “Now he’s happy! Thanks guys.”

Katniss and Clove look back at Thresh and simultaneously think ‘How? What? Someone please explain!’

“So what’s 2 like?” Katniss asks as the three girls wander through the forest, foraging and hunting for food.

Clove tilts her head in thought. “Well, it’s not as wealthy or extravagant as 1 but it’s alright,” she says with a shrug before frowning, “The only thing unique about 2 besides our masonry is this weird obsession everyone seems to have with the Games.”

Katniss lifts an eyebrow in question prompting Clove to continue. “Everyone seems to see the Games as some sort of test that’s meant to prove who’s worthy of godhood or some weird shit like that. I don’t know, I’ve never really paid much attention to the rhetoric,” she explains, “My best friend’s dad was the only reason why I even learned about the system in the first place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have cared because why should I give a shit about whether or not you can be chosen for a chance to stand above mere mortals.”

The other two girls frown and nod along. “Wow, the upper districts really are different from the lower ones,” Rue observes thoughtfully.

“Yeah,” Katniss agrees, “12 could give less of a shit about the Games. Everyone’s too focused on their lives or livelihoods to care.”

“How so?” Clove asks.

“12 is split in half, literally and metaphorically,” Katniss explains, “One half is the Seam. It’s poor and dirty and hopeless, but it’s still somehow full of life. Then you’ve got the other half, the Town. It’s clean and as pretty as something from 12 can be, but all the Townies are so obsessed with appearing wealthy and perfect with posh attitudes and all. Most days, I’m actually glad to be from the Seam cause at least we know how to have a good time.”

“Mmm,” Rue hums, “The Seam sounds a lot like 11. It’s hard living there and we often struggle to make sure we have enough food for the table, but it’s a warm and loving place. 11 is all about community. We’re each other’s families. Everyone supports each other and no one gets left behind.”

The three girls stand there silently, different degrees of homesickness bubbling inside them.

“Sometimes, I wish the Districts were never separated the way they were. Then maybe we could’ve found each other sooner,” Rue quietly comments.

The girls then continue their trek but now they’re no longer in any mood to complete the task they had originally set out for.

The low mood from earlier persists as the four tributes sit around a dying campfire and alternate in sending worried glances at Val’s still body. Even Thresh’s sudden appearance didn’t jar Katniss or Clove as much as it usually would. 

“Ya know,” Clove says, drawing the attention of the others, “Val reminds me of my best friend.”

Katniss perks up in interest because she’s always been curious about what Val was like before he joined her family. And this seems to be the only way they can talk about it without jeopardizing his identity. Rue and Thresh also lean in, though Thresh’s movement was more like a miniscule head tilt forward, curious as well.

This prompts Clove to continue speaking. “Val seems to be the loyal and empathetic sort, just like Cato,” she says with a fond smile, “He was such a mom friend who was always making sure I stayed out of trouble and if he couldn’t, he’d jump right in with me and make sure I could get out of it. He was always there for me even when I did my best to push him away.” Her words quieting near the end, her smile turning melancholic. “I don’t know if I’d be alive right now if it weren’t for him.” 

“Cato sounds like he was a really good person,” Rue tentatively says, conscious of the fact that Clove’s eyes were slowly growing wet.

“Yeah, he was,” she agrees, turning away to subtly wipe the gathering tears away.

The others quietly give her space by looking at anywhere but her. When she turns back, Katniss continues the conversation as if that little moment never happened.

“He sounds just like Val,” Katniss agrees with an empathetic nod, “Even though he was an only child, after we adopted him, Val took to being a big brother like a duck takes to water. Then when dad died, he stepped up and made sure we were all warm and fed. He made so many sacrifices just to make sure we all stayed afloat and still somehow found the time to make sure I found happiness in my life when I had always believed the only thing I’d find was the bottom of a ditch.”

“I’m glad that you managed to meet someone like your best friend, Clove,” Rue says softly. “It’s never fun missing someone you know you’ll never see again. So I’m glad Val can help you keep the memory of your friend alive.”

Thresh grunts out in agreement and Katniss nods knowingly.

Clove smiles gratefully at them and the conversation ends there, the mood noticeably lighter this time.

“So...” Clove starts, dragging the word out as Katniss and Rue turn their attention to her.

“So?” Katniss asks, confused as to where the monosyllabic word could be leading. Then she grows weary when Clove smiles like a cat about to catch the canary.

“Peeta,” Clove said matter of fact, “Tell me about him.”

Katniss crosses her arms defensively. “Why?”

Clove rolls her eyes. “Cause we’ve been stuck together for almost three days and we haven’t once had a chance to have any girl talk.”

“Oh god, you’re one of those girls,” Katniss says with disgust, “The ones who have nothing better to do than to gossip and curl their hair with their manicured nails and giggle like idiots at the stupidest shit possible.”

Clove wrinkles her nose in disgust, “Excuse you. Don’t compare me to those basic bitches. I just missed talking with girls about girl stuff. You really think Val or even Thresh could contribute anything to the boy talk conversation?”

“Fair enough,” Katniss sighs because Clove does have a point and she has missed talking to girls who weren’t her mom or little sister. “Alright then, I guess the only things I really wanna say about Peeta is that he’s really sweet and down to earth. If you knew his mother, you’d never understand how someone as pure as him ever came from that bitch who can rot in hell for all I care.”

Clove nods understandingly as if abusive parents were just a staple of life in 2 though her empathetic expression has Katniss to believe that there was more to the story. However, everyone’s entitled to their secrets, especially girls and especially since everything they say is potentially being broadcasted to millions of people.

“What about you?” Katniss asks, genuinely curious and also secretly desperate to change the focus of the topic to someone other than her beloved Peeta.

Clove grins salaciously. “Oh, I was quite the Casanova back at the Academy.”

“Really? You?” Katniss asks, disbelieving at the mental image of Clove prowling the halls of a Career Academy, snatching up boys and girls left and right, but she could also totally see it too.

“Yup,” Clove nods proudly. “Guys and girls alike were in awe at my beauty and my talents. But I would only ever pursue anything with those who could best at knives. After all, those who work well with their hands and wrists are also the best when it comes to doing the devil’s tango,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Katniss snorts out with laughter which has Clove clutching her sides soon after. Their laughter dies immediately though, when Rue asks, “What’s the devil’s tango?”

The two older girls pale as they gape at Rue, then at each other, before back at Rue with expressions that just scream ‘Must protect this precious child.’

“Oh, you sweet summer child, you,” Clove coos as she pats Rue on the head. “Never change.”

Rue accepts the head pats with a graceful pout. “No seriously. What’s the devil’s tango?” she whines out and stomps like a petulant child, “Is it some kind of dance or something? I need to know! Someone tell me!”

Katniss and Clove laugh uncomfortably the more pushy Rue gets. Sweat starts to gather from their increasing nervousness as neither know how to divert her attention to some other subject. Thankfully, though not for their sanity, Thresh pops up in another ‘blink and he’s there’ moment. The two girls struggle to hold back their screams, biting their lips and clutching the other as Thresh pats Rue gently on the head.

“You’re too young to know so don’t ask,” he grunts out softly.

Rue looks at him thoughtfully before nodding along brightly. “Ok!”

She then returns her attention to her herbal paste concoction, unknowing of the glare Thresh sent over her head towards Katniss and Clove. If looks could kill, the two girls would’ve been hanged, stabbed, bled out, drawn and quartered, with their body parts burnt to a crisp and the ashes spread out into the wind. They can only nod fearfully and frantically at Thresh’s unspoken message. He grunts in satisfaction at their unspoken answer before turning his attention back to fondly watching over Rue. The two older girls can only continue to clutch each other as they attempt to regain the years of their life they had just lost from that single glare.

Katniss and Clove leisurely make their way back to the clearing. Their hunting and gathering trip was unsuccessful due to having spotted Kai and Marvel on a warpath through the patch of forest they had designated as their hunting grounds. Their leisurely pace is broken when Rue rushes at them with an excitable air about her.

“Val’s awake!” she quickly shouts without so much as a greeting before turning and running back to the clearing.

The older girls turn to each other with wide-eyed expressions, turning to look back to where Rue ran off, then running after the little girl. Relief courses through their veins when they break through the brush and enter the clearing to see Val, sitting up, awake, well, and confused as hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s the end of the fluff and happy times now, unfortunately. Because we are still in the Hunger Games and happiness is not allowed. It’s in the rules. So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and that it’ll tide you over until I manage to get the next chapter out. Again, it’s going to take much longer to get it out because I want to make the emotional climax as perfect as I can make it. Please make sure to emotionally prepare yourself for a chapter that I hope will be super emotional. Until next time!


	22. Hail and Farewell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Val is finally awake and things are starting to pick up in the games now that the Tracker Jacker Alliance has a plan on how to take down the Career's major advantage. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, not everyone will make it out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! How’s everyone doing? We have finally arrived at the climax of the story. And wow was it hell to write. I had way too much trouble with this chapter what with having an entirely way too long list of events to write without making it feel like I’m dragging on and on and also making sure it doesn’t get boring. Because this chapter is where the emotions are supposed to hit and shit gets real so it would definitely not be okay if you read it and you get bored. Also, my need for perfection kept smacking me upside the head while I wrote so, yeah. Please enjoy my month long headache and I hope I managed to make it worth the wait.
> 
> Like always, I enjoy comments, in fact I thrive off of positive comments and love constructive critique ones cause it shows an author that their readers are actually paying attention and enjoying their work. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y’all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC’s that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies. 
> 
> Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

It took some time but Val manages to get his body back into working order after being unconscious for three days. The first order of business that needed to be completed upon his rejuvenation is the resupplying of their inventory.

None of the girls were able to adequately hunt and gather as they needed to stay close by in case any tributes got funny ideas and tried to go after his unconscious body. They only managed to stay afloat with his catch from before things went to shit, Rue’s amazing luck when it came to foraging, and Thresh’s occasional appearance to drop by supplies he thought Rue would need.

Val decided to lead the girls to where he believed his circled territory to believe, going entirely off the directions Rue gave to bring them back to the clearing where everything blew up spectacularly in their faces. It was only by chance they managed to come across the river he ran to after that still completely unnecessary fireball incident. Then it was just a matter of pretending he knew which way he ran from the fire and crossing his fingers for luck before they somehow managed to reach his sleeping tree.

Thankfully, in the three days he’d been gone, the traps he set out did indeed catch some prey. Val made swift work of the squirrels and rabbits with Katniss making sure to turn Rue away from the sight of his methodical killing of cute woodland creatures. 

Then the small group set out to the small river to refill their bottles and get some “fresher” water in them. The four tributes relax on the smooth river rocks as the bubbling of the stream fills the air.

“So how are we going to deal with the Careers?” Clove asks as she sips her water.

Val raises an eyebrow in question. “What do you mean?” 

Clove seals her bottle as her expression turns serious. “The biggest threat right now is the Careers. Any one of them could easily win this if we don’t do something to hinder their chances.”

“And how exactly do you propose we do that?” Katniss asks, the skepticism clear in her voice, “It’s not like they have any obvious weaknesses we can hit as easily as I can nail a squirrel through the eye.”

Rue grimaces as the mention of Katniss’ hunting prowess. 

Clove scowls at her question. “Well why the hell do you think I’m asking you guys?”

“Shouldn’t you know how best to target them though? You were a Career yourself and you spent a lot of time with them during training,” Val points out.

“Well sure except I was just the knife girl. Kai made it very clear what my role was and strategic thinking was definitely not on that list. Also, preemptive strikes are so not my strong suit or did you already forget all the bullshit I got us into when we were kids?” Clove deadpans to which Val sheepishly grins before he panics at her mention of their shared past.

“Clove!” he quietly shouts out, his eyes darting around for any signs of cameras or audio devices.

Clove merely rolls her eyes and mimes the motion of zipping her mouth and throwing away the key, though her eyes do betray some of the guilt she feels at her little slip. 

“So anyone got any bright ideas?” Clove asks only to be answered by silence. “Or just any ideas whatsoever?”

Silence again. 

“Well don’t all answer at once now,” she mutters petulantly.

Val and Katniss both roll their eyes in unison. The siblings’ mirrored annoyance and crossing of arms has Clove cackling and Rue giggling at the sight.

“I brought apples,” Thresh says, expression as stoic as ever as he suddenly appears right behind Val. He holds up a net bag with a bunch of shiny, red apples inside.

In the next few moments, many things happen at once. Katniss and Clove jump to their feet and an extra foot into the air in surprise. Katniss somehow manages to jump into Clove’s arms in a bridal carry to which Clove immediately drops her unceremoniously onto the ground. Katniss glares and retaliates by hooking her foot around Clove’s ankle and pulling. Clove falls onto her back, glares at Katniss, and the two engage in a mini catfight.

Meanwhile, Val screams, voice pitched to a high register that he will forever vehemently deny sounded feminine in any way, shape, or form, as he clutches his metaphorical pearls in an attempt to calm his racing heart. 

“What the hell, Thresh?” Val shouts at the towering tribute.

Thresh tilts his head to the side and does his best impression of a confused kitten. “I brought apples?”

“Thank you, Thresh,” Rue chirps as she bounces excitedly over to him. She quickly turns to give a pointed look at Val that just screams _behave_ before returning her attention back to Thresh and the apples. “Where’d you get them?” she asks.

Thresh grunts as he gently hands the apples over to Rue. “I got them from the Careers. Unlike that girl from 3, the boy is a real pushover.”

Rue nods knowingly as she opens the net bag and starts passing out apples to everyone. The apples snap the other three tributes out of their shocked fright. Once everyone’s got an apple, they all wash and wipe them clean before taking a bite. The subsequent crisp crunches attest to the freshness of the apples.

“Damn, these are some good apples,” Katniss compliments as she takes another bite. 

Clove nods in agreement as she closes her eyes to enjoy the sweet juice of the apple in her hand. 

Val nods appreciatively at Thresh. “Thanks for bringing us these apples, Thresh.”

Thresh gives a minute nod, the corner of his mouth twitches and if one were to look at him under different lighting with their head tilted ninety degrees to the left, one might even think he was preening under their praise.

“What were you all talking about anyways?” Thresh asks, once everyone finished off their apples.

Clove wipes off leftover juice with the back of her hand before sticking that hand in the stream to wash. “We were trying to come up with a plan to screw with the Careers. They’re the biggest threat in the arena after all.”

Thresh nods in understanding. “Have you come up with any ideas yet?”

Everyone looks to each other with a frown which is enough of an answer for Thresh. “So then does anyone have any ideas yet?”

Clove scowls when the only answer to greet Thresh’s question is silence, again. “Come on, guys,” she whines out like a child one step away from a tantrum. “We gotta take care of the Careers before we can even think about what could come next. And how can no one have any ideas? At this point, even a stupid idea is better than no idea.”

Rue and Val look vaguely uncomfortable at the subtle jab from Clove. 

Katniss frowns at the reminder and her frown deepens when her brain keeps coming up short on ideas. She knows that there’s something niggling at the back of her mind, something important that could be used against the Careers. But the emotional rollercoaster of the past three days managed to mess with her brain. She shrugs to herself. If it was really important, she’ll remember it in due time.

“What about destroying their supply pile?” Thresh asks, breaking everyone out of their thoughts.

“Their what pile?” Val asks, confused since he’d been out for half the Games already. The girls respond with blank expressions as they too, didn’t know what Thresh was talking about.

“The supply pile,” Thresh says as if it explained everything before a shared confused glance between Val and Rue prompts him to elaborate. “The giant pile of supplies that the Careers gathered up by the cornucopia during the first day? Where did you think I got the apples from?”

“Well I thought you just grabbed them off of Noah who just so happened to have them as part of the stuff he nabbed. But since Noah’s a Career,” Val says as he nods to himself, “Yeah, it’d make more sense for the apples to be a part of the pile and you just shoved your ways towards them.”

Then Katniss and Clove both smack their foreheads in realization.

“Oh shit! How the hell did we forget about that giant ass pile?” Katniss asks, silently berating herself since this was the thing that her brain had been niggling at her to remember.

Clove sighs as she palms her forehead at her forgetfulness. “To be fair, I think we were both too worried about boy martyr here to properly remember something like that.”

Then the two older girls’ eyes go wide in shared realization.

“We can use the mines,” Clove breaths out as a plan slowly but surely starts to formulate in her mind.

“The what now?” Val asks, confused, again, and growing more exasperated by the moment, “Can someone please just give a straight answer with a clear explanation instead of just hoping everyone knows what the hell they’re talking about?”

“Alright then, listen up cause I’m only gonna explain this once,” Clove says as shakes a finger in Val’s direction. “So the Careers, aka Kai, decided it’d be a great idea to gather all the leftover supplies into this big pile by the cornucopia. Now I know this decision is usually a common one that can go either way,” she continues, holding up a hand to block Val’s inevitable question about the intelligence of certain Careers, “But Kai, miraculously and unfortunately, had the foresight of putting Noah’s capabilities regarding technologies to use.”

“Meaning?” Val gestures for her to continue.

“It means bombs,” she deadpans, “Bombs from the pedestal that are only supposed to go off when a tribute steps off too early were removed by Noah and then repurposed to act as landmines around the supply pile.”

The three tributes not in the know, take some time to digest that information.

“That sounds like a good idea in theory. If someone tried to steal anything from the Careers, they could get blown up if they’re not careful,” Rue comments thoughtfully, “But couldn’t it also be used against them in the same way?”

Val’s eyes widen in realization. “You’re saying we should blow up the pile.”

Clove nods with a wide grin. “Yup!” she chirps, “Blow up the pile and you’ve taken one of the two main advantages any Career tribute has since it’s not like our training focused on actual survival.” She shrugs. “What’s the point of knowing how to find food when you can just kill anyone who’ll go after the pile you’ve hoarded for yourself?”

“How do you propose we go about doing this though?” Val asks, “Blowing up the supplies without some form of a plan is just waving a sign up in the air asking for the Careers to come kill you.”

Clove waves off his questions. “Oh don’t you worry,” she responds, “I’ve got an idea. It’s rather brilliant if I do say so myself.” She dramatically wipes an invisible tear from the corner of her eye. “Mr. Stefnu would be so proud, he might even shed a tear at how amazing it is,” she warbles, sharing a smile that speaks of old inside jokes with Val.

“So?” Katniss asks impatiently, “What’s the plan?” 

Clove grabs a nearby stick and begins drawing diagrams and figures onto the ground. “Alright,” she says as she continues drawing, “Here’s my ultimate plan on how we’re going to weaken the Careers and make sure we all escape safe and sound.”

Once she’s done, everyone looks down at what she’s drawn. Then they all tilt their heads in unison as they try to make heads or tails of the shapes, lines, and stick figures that litter the ground in a haphazard non-pattern.

“You know, I always wondered why you’d get barely passable grades in Tactics considering you’re one of the better strategic minds of our grade whenever your temper wasn’t a contributing factor. Now I know why,” Val comments dryly as he gives her drawings a judgmental stare. “No offense though,” he tacks on as an afterthought.

Clove scowls at him. “Offense greatly taken! I’ll have you know that my drawing abilities are amazing! The best in the class!” she defends vehemently.

“The class of what? Orangutans?” Katniss throws out with a teasing grin. Rue giggles and Val snorts at her joke. Thresh’s mouth actually twitches into a smile but it’s like a blink and you’ll miss it which seems to be the aesthetic he’s got going on.

“And how would you know what an orangutan is?” Clove retorts, crossing her arms defensively. “I don’t even know what that is and I’m from District 2!”

Katniss shrugs nonchalantly at her. “Eh, I just read it in a book somewhere. It sounded funny so I’ve just been waiting for the right opportunity to use it. You just happened to be the lucky victim.”

Clove opens her mouth to protest, her entire demeanor showing how she’s ready to throw down with Katniss right here and now. Val quickly jumps in between the two before another bloodbath could occur.

“O-kay guys. I think we’re starting to get a little side tracked here,” Val interjects in a calm tone. He holds up a hand in each girl’s direction in hopes that it’ll be enough to remind them to not do anything stupid like fight allies because girls and their petty vendettas or some shit like that. 

When he’s sure that neither one will jump at the other’s throat. He turns to Clove and gestures at her...drawings. 

“Why don’t you just explain to us what exactly your plan is instead of hoping we can somehow make sentences or even words out of shapes and lines,” he suggests.

Clove scowls something fierce before begrudgingly agreeing to his suggestion. “Fine,” she bites out, “But I’m only going to explain it once so listen carefully.”

Her expression is now dead serious, no signs of indignation or joking anywhere. The others nod because it’s time to get down to business. Clove grabs the stick to point out her battle plan.

“Alright, so first, we need to set distractions to draw the Careers far away from the pile so that whoever’s setting off the mines doesn’t have to worry about them,” she says before pausing at a sudden thought, “Well maybe you’d have to worry about Noah but he’s a complete wimp compared to the others so just give him a good shove and you’ll be in the clear.”

She points at two images that vaguely resemble fire if you squinted and maybe hung off from a branch while upside down. A circle that probably represents the pile rests in the middle of the fire symbols.

“The distractions will be two different fires set in locations that are noticeable enough by the Careers, but not big enough to seem like traps. Just some smoke that’ll draw them to different locations for “easy kills”. Plus it’s been a while since anyone’s died so Kai will definitely be antsy for some action regardless of whether it’s a trap or not.”

She taps a small stick figure with curls and a big stick figure with a frown.

“I’m thinking Thresh and Rue will be the ones to set the fires since Rue’s capable of escaping to the trees in a flash and Thresh seems to have somehow mastered the art of invisibility despite his dark, hulking body.”

Rue giggles at Clove’s description of Thresh while the tribute in question minutely scowls.

“And even though we don’t want to admit it, the Careers are smart when it comes to battle. They’ll be able to fight themselves out of a pinch or use a trap to their advantage,” she explains with a frown, “So to counter any surprises, someone will accompany Rue and Thresh to their destinations. Just in case a fight breaks out, two tributes are better than one when combating a Career.”

“Hold on,” Katniss interrupts, “What if all the Careers decide to go to one destination or they split evenly and now it’s two v two instead of two v one?”

Clove taps the ground thoughtfully before shaking her head. “While it may be possible, the probability of that happening is really low. Kai’s got too much hurt pride right now to go hunting with the other Careers and Noah for sure will be left behind because he can’t contribute anything except doing guard duty.”

“So then who’s going to pair up with Rue and who’s going with Thresh?” Val asks.

Clove taps a stick figure with a crudely drawn knife and another with a frown and a pair of angry eyebrows. “I’ll be going with Rue since I can provide ranged support and deter any Career from following after her,” she says as she draws a line from the knife stick figure to Rue’s stick figure. 

She then thoughtfully taps the angry, frowning figure before drawing a line from it to Thresh’s stick figure. “And for Thresh, I think Katniss would be the best fit since she’s also a strong melee fighter like him so the two can just tag team and combo any Careers who happen to be unlucky enough to be in their path.”

Katniss looks vaguely offended that she’s the stick figure with the angry eyebrows and scowls when Val grins cheekily at her because it was such an accurate physical depiction of her. The two engage in an elbow-shoving match. 

Clove ignores the siblings and points at a smiling stick figure with a bow and draws a line from it to the pile circle. “And you, my dear Val, will be heading to the pile and setting the explosives off when the Careers are far enough away.”

She x’s out the circle with a triumphant smile. “Then we can all meet up back here, bada bing, bada bang, the Career’s lose their supplies and we’ll have escaped scot-free having just pulled off the most successful sabotage in the history of sabotage!” 

The others nod thoughtfully at her plan. It is indeed a great plan with contingencies in place to ensure the highest probability of all of them coming out safe and sound. However, there was just one issue.

“How are we going to communicate with each other though?” Katniss asks. “Cause considering how dangerous this plan can be, communication would be greatly appreciated.”

Clove tilts her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well, like how are we going to let each other know we’re safe or that we need help or even to let others know not to come because it’s not safe yet and such,” Katniss explains.

Clove frowns. “Huh, I didn’t think of that,” she says as she taps her chin thoughtfully, “How would we communicate with each other?”

Rue’s hand shoots up and waves eagerly back and forth in the air.

“Yes, Rue?” Clove tilts her head towards Rue, who puts down her hand and asks, “What about the birds?”

Clove, Katniss, and Val all stare at her confused. “Birds?” 

This prompts Rue to share a mischievous look with Thresh and sing out a short melody. While the melody sounded cheerful and bright, it only served to confuse the other three even further. But before anyone could ask what that was all about, the exact same melody. with the same tone, pitch, and everything as Rue, echoes throughout the forest from high up in the trees. It only takes a moment for it to click in Val’s mind.

“Mockingjays?” he asks, tone a mixture of awe and confusion.

Clove glances at him sharply before turning to Rue. “Mockingjays? Here? In the arena?”

Rue smiles and nods. “Yup!” she chirps out, “We have a bunch of them back home in 11 so when we found out there were some in the arena, it made communication really easy.”

Realization dawns on Katniss’ face. “So that’s how Thresh was always able to find us even when we were moving around.”

Both Rue and Thresh nod in agreement at her revelation. 

“So that’s how we’re going to communicate? Singing and humming?” Clove asks skeptically, “Cause I gotta be honest with you all...I am as tone death as a brick wall and cannot carry a tune to save my life.”

“Well you don’t have to sing or hum or anything like that,” Rue says, “Can you whistle?”

Clove nods and gives a demonstration, whistling out a few bars that form a jaunty sort of tune that sounds oddly familiar to Val. Only a few moments later, the mockingjays replicate her tune perfectly.

“You know, if I didn’t know a thing about mockingjays, this would be down right creepy as hell,” Katniss comments. Then she shivers slightly as the echoing tunes fade away. “Nope. It’s still creepy as fuck.” 

Rue grins at her before turning to the others and asking, “So what kind of songs or tunes should we be using?” 

Val taps his chin thoughtfully, “How about we each have our own unique tune to say that we’re safe and then have a shared one for danger don’t come, help needed, and such?”

Everyone nods at the idea. 

“Alright then,” Rue says, clapping her hands together to get everyone’s attention, “Let’s all come up with a unique tune and then Thresh and I can show you some of the songs we use in 11.”

“That would be really helpful, Rue. Thanks,” Val smiles at her gratefully.

Rue beams under his praise. “Alright, so who’s gonna start?” she asks.

“Why don’t you start, Rue? Then Thresh can go next and we can continue around in a circle,” Clove suggests.

Rue nods and hums out the same melody as before. The bright and cheerful song echos around them before fading away. Thresh goes next albeit reluctantly and only an elbow jab from Rue has him whistling a few short notes that come out harsh but with a charm that is uniquely Thresh’s. He steps away from their impromptu circle, an embarrassed flush on his face that was so light you could only see it if the sun hit his dark skin at a certain angle. Rue giggles at him which causes the blush to deepen just a smidge.

Clove whistles the same jaunty tune as before, not really as creative when it comes to forming melodies nor finding the desire to come up with anything new. Val rolls his eyes at her unoriginality because he had just realized where he’d heard that tune before. It was one of those songs his parents would hear in the bars they had frequented in their youth and would randomly sing whenever the mood struck. Clove grins back at him, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as he shakes his head in fond exasperation.

Val steps up to hum a few bars of another jaunty song from his youth that has Clove’s grin growing wider. He can only scowl at her, silently telling her to shut up to which her grin gains a shit eating edge to it. He huffs as Clove quietly laughs at him. The others simply watch the display with varying confused expressions.

Then Katniss steps up and sings a short melody that Val recognizes as one of the lullabies their father would sing when they were little. A lullaby that carried many fond memories and would only ever be requested by Prim a million times a night whenever she was feeling particularly cheeky or restless. Rue and Clove stare at her in wonder as the forest seemed to instantly quiet when she sang. It took more than a few moments for the mockingjays to pick up the tune and repeat it around them. 

“Wow!” Rue gasps in awe, “You have a really nice voice, Katniss!”

Katniss blushes slightly at the compliment. “It’s no big deal but thanks I guess.”

“Uh, yeah, it’s a big deal,” Clove remarks, “If you’d been born in one of the higher districts or even in the Capitol, you’d be able to make so much money just singing. You’ve got real talent.”

“Everyone working the fields would appreciate your voice,” Thresh grunts out with a slight, soft smile.

“Katniss definitely gets her voice from our dad,” Val proudly brags, much to Katniss’ chagrin, “Whenever he sang, the birds would always stop to listen and the same thing happens when she sings too. She even managed to snag her boyfriend with just her voice.”

Katniss blushes further as she waves off the compliments. “Oh, stop it.” 

Then Clove glances slyly at Val. “And what about you, Val? You got any of that music juice in you?”

Both Val and Katniss bark out a laugh at Clove’s question. “Ha! No, I can whistle and hum but I can’t carry a tune like her,” Val responds.

“Yeah, the last time he tried, we had to make ear plugs because of how bad it was,” Katniss snarks, shooting a teasing grin at him, “But he is a surprisingly good writer when it comes to poems and such.”

“Poems?” Clove asks skeptically, “I don’t think I can see it.”

“Well you also didn’t think Thresh could sneak around the way he does so...” Katniss shoots back, trailing off at the end as Clove turns red and looks away with a huff.

“Getting back on track here,” Val interjects as he silently laments as to why he’s constantly playing the middleman for his sister and his best friend. “What tunes are we using for the other signals?”

“Well there’s three signals I think we can use,” Rue states as she begins to list each signal with a demonstration of its song.

“The first one will be the danger, don’t come signal.” Three sharp notes sound through the air, short, clear, and an obvious alert for danger.

“The second will be for help needed, please come.” Three notes again but longer and connected to sound like more like one continual note instead of three. The middle note is a higher pitch then the first and last.

“And the third will be safe to approach.” Four notes of varying pitches that form a soft melody meant to reassure.

Val, Clove, and Katniss nod along with each tune, making sure to copy Rue a few times to ensure that they knew how to make each tune and would remember what they meant.

“Okay! I think that’s enough for now,” Clove interjects, clapping her hands together to signal that she is done. “If we keep going, my musical abilities are going to drop into the negative hundreds.”

Val nods. “Yeah, I think this should be good for now. We don’t need too many signals, otherwise we might forget some.”

“And having too many could overcomplicate the plan,” Katniss chimes in.

“Keep things simple and complications will never be a thing,” Thresh grunts out in agreement.

“Alright! The plan has finally come together and all we need to do is execute it,” Clove says, “All in favor of doing it first thing tomorrow morning?”

Everyone nods or voices their agreement. Clove nods to herself.

“Then we have a plan! The meeting is now adjourned and our break is over,” she says way too cheerfully as she starts ushering the others to pack and get up. “Come on, guys,” she says when Katniss starts grumbling about wanting a longer break, “We need to get some food and water so we can be in the best possible shape for tomorrow. You can’t blow things up on an empty stomach after all.”

They all sigh and follow along with Clove’s orders, grumbling at her good-naturedly and indulging in small talk as they resume their hunting and gathering trek through the forest.

The Tracker Jacker alliance sits around a small campfire that slowly dies as the sun sets. It’s quiet save for the crackling of the fire and the occasional sound of the forest around them. Everyone’s on alert for any potential threats coming their way but they’re mostly tense because of the anxiety of tomorrow. 

What if things don’t go as planned? What if things go horribly wrong immediately from the get go? What if their contingencies don’t work? What if someone dies?

These thoughts race through everyone’s minds, they slowly grow more and more tense with each suppressed fear and insecurity now cropping back up to the surface. Every single one of them is a bowstring about to snap, a bomb that’s about to explode, if someone doesn’t do anything.

And then someone does.

“I wonder what my little brother and sisters are doing right now,” Rue says, her soft voice breaking through the tense silence like a battering ram shattering a concrete wall.

“Probably eating dinner that your mama made after your uncle tried and burned it, again,” Thresh grunts as he whittles away at a thick branch with his knife.

Rue smiles wistfully at his response. “Yeah, mama always said that Uncle Roy had the best green thumb of us all but he could never cook worth a damn and would always set water on fire.”

Katniss chokes on her laughter, trying to hide it behind coughing. “Really? I thought everyone in 11 would have a decent knowledge of how to cook considering you guys are where half our food comes from.”

“You’d think right?” Rue says as she shakes her head in fond exasperation, “But cooking’s something only a few of us actually have a talent for. The rest either learn how to or are forever banned from the kitchen because they decided to try a new way of cooking oats that had “never been tried before!””

“I feel like there’s an interesting story behind that rather specific example,” Val says with a light smile, “Wanna share with the class?”

Rue’s smile grows wider as she nods. She proceeds to regale the others with tales of the misadventures of her younger siblings. How the girls would always find a way to prank the farm hands in the fields but would always make up for it by helping them load their harvest at the end of each day. How they’d always beg her to do their hair in different fashions every morning before taking turns doing hers. How the only boy of the family would act as polite as can be, using his manners as he had been taught but not because it was the nice thing to do. He’d use his please and thank you’s and how do you do’s to charm his way into the hearts of every old lady and then work his way into their kitchens to have a taste of that cookie dough. Rue’s mama would always say that her brother would grow up to be such a heart-breaker.

Then on Rue’s prompting, Thresh continues the impromptu sharing. His low voice sounds oddly soothing as he talks about his days working on the field. How his supervisors would always let him take home any leftover stock that wouldn’t be sent to the market. How he was the oldest of twenty kids in the orphanage where he grew up. By the time he was sixteen, they were all essentially running the place by themselves as the matron had grown too old and wasn’t able to get around like she used too. She still did her best to ensure the well being of each orphan who passed through and that the orphanage would continue to stand for years after she was gone. Up until his reaping, Thresh was their guardian and protector who made sure they were safe and loved in the orphanage and if they were adopted, he made sure it was to a loving home. 

Clove shrugs when they turn their attention on her, the next person in their circle. She already said everything she wanted about her life in her interview. There were no lies even though there were many omissions and implications that you’d only realize if you listened carefully to what she said and how she said it. The only new thing she offered up was her friendships throughout the years. She talked about the friends she made in the academy. How the girls in her class strong-armed her into moving on after her best friend’s death. They taught her that it was okay to say goodbye, as long as she kept him close to her heart and never forgot. And how could she ever forget him? He always looked out for her even when she didn’t ask for it and made sure that she had a home with his family. When he first brought her to meet his parents, she’d been so nervous she ran and hid away not once, not twice, but five times. In the end, he dragged his parents to her and she’ll never forget how they welcomed a scrappy, little girl who was so angry at the world into their house and loved her like she was their own.

Katniss chimes in next, deciding to focus her thoughts on Prim and Peeta since her brother is literally sitting right next to her and her mother is still a sore subject. So Primrose and Peeta bragging time it is. Val watched in amusement as Katniss gushed twenty page essays about them, silently wondering where this eloquence was whenever they had a writing assignment for school. She talked about how much of a pure soul Prim is, with her bleeding heart that took care of every stray that crossed her path and made even the iciest of hearts melt before her pure sunshine self. Of course, she could do without the demon cat Prim insisted on keeping but she could never say no to those wide blue eyes that just screamed of innocence and gave everyone “must protect” vibes. 

With Peeta though, Katniss was a bit more guarded when talking about him. When Clove and Rue asked how they met, Val had to chime in and tell the riveting tale of a little girl who almost knocked out a sweet little boy because she thought he was a creep and the loaves of bread he gave her the day before were some form of pity charity. Katniss’ face is almost a permanent red color as Val crowed about how it took an actual physical shove from him and Prim for her to talk to the stuttering boy who looked at her like she hung the sun, moon, and stars. She slapped him, telling him to be quiet and not ruin her jaded survivor reputation. Val laughed, clutching his stomach as he attempted to catch his breath. Once he did, she only said that she will forever be glad for Peeta because just being with him allowed her to dream of a fairy tale ending of true love and happily ever afters. An ending that she thought she’d given up on when their father died and left nothing but an empty shell of a family that her brother desperately did his best to hold together with sheer will and too many sacrifices. Then she clamps her mouth shut as tightly as possible and gestures for Val to go.

But there really isn’t much for him to say though. He can’t talk about his family from 2 for obvious reasons, even though Clove’s loose lips might’ve made it all moot at this point. And Katniss just spoke at length about Prim, a prominent feature in his life, and Peeta, who is just a sweetheart and if his sister hadn’t already staked her claim, he might’ve gone after him instead of Gale. Oh, yeah. Gale. He almost forgot given the fact that he was in the Hunger Games and all. So he talked about his best friend whom he didn’t trust at first because his family just recently died when they met. However, he craved any form of human interaction so the ever charming, but don’t tell him he said that cause it would only inflate his ego even more, Gale became his best friend. 

Then Katniss got her revenge by chiming in how the two started a “will they, won’t they” dance that didn’t end until Gale jumped the shark and kissed him during their reaping goodbyes. Clove smirked at him and Rue tsked her disappointment that he didn’t lock Gale down sooner so then at least they could’ve had time together. Val agreed with her, he did waste time and he will always regret doing so. But he will never regret his decision to volunteer because the Everdeens did so much for him when the patriarch decided to take a chance with the sad, little boy who lost everything in one day. He will always cherish his memories of their family, of how their mother would teach him every trick that she knew about apothecary. How their father taught him valuable survival skills and even happily endorsed the little competition Val started with Katniss to help her out of her slump. How they opened their arms and let him grieve and mourn his family before offering, not a replacement family, but one he could be a part of while still loving the one he had lost. 

Once he finishes speaking, the conversation sort of dies and leaves behind a mood that’s lighter and no longer as tense as before.

“Hey Rue?” Val asks, tone somewhat hesitant since he doesn’t really want to ruin the mood but he just has to know one thing.

Rue hums her acknowledgement, prompting Val to ask, “So why did you want to talk about our lives before all of...this?” 

When she frowns, he quickly adds on, “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to, of course. I’m not going to force you to answer. I was just...curious.”

Rue’s frown then becomes a melancholic smile. “I guess I wanted someone to know my life. To know the me that existed beyond a name and number in the games. I want someone to know that I existed as a real, living person who had fears and dreams and things that I lived for.” She laughs to herself, almost sounding self-deprecating as she does so. “I guess I sound a little selfish for talking about the before and then making you all do the same...”

The other shake her heads, telling her that she wasn’t selfish, that it was surprisingly mature of her given her age, and that they didn’t mind. It was fun talking about anything but the Games.

She smiles, more genuinely this time. “I guess in the end, I want to live on in someone I could call a friend and know that I will never be forgotten, that I will always be in their memory.” She hugs herself tightly as if to ward off the cold that began to settle as the fire died. “Because it’s scary. Being forgotten.”

For a moment, no one speaks. Their expressions all varying degrees of resignation and sadness.

“I can think of worse things,” Thresh says, in a tone so low they almost couldn’t hear him.

“Like what?” Clove asks, curious of his answer.

“Being remembered but not as the person you really were,” he responds, “Just living on in history as the person they wanted you to be.”

Rue leans against Thresh in silent comfort as Clove gently pats him on the knee. “Then I hope you never let them change who you are,” she says.

“Yeah, same to you all too,” he agrees.

“Let’s get some sleep, guys,” Val says, as the light mood is replaced by a tense one once again. “Tomorrow’s a busy day after all.”

The others voice their agreement and everyone settles into an uneasy sleep as the Panem National anthem plays as their only available lullaby.

It’s quiet the next morning as everyone rises with the sun and slowly goes about preparing themselves for their respective tasks of the day. The mood is solemn and weighs heavily like chains trying to drag them down to the ground. No one says anything, only giving acknowledging looks and lingering glances as if to sear the very image of each other into their minds in case this was the last time they would ever see the others alive and well.

When all the preparations are done and there’s nothing left to do but execute the plan, they all gather and look to each other, one last time.

“Good luck out there,” Clove casually tosses out as she does her best to mask the worry that creeps through.

“Stay safe guys,” Katniss adds because she’d probably explode from not doing something, saying something, before she leaves.

“Let’s make sure we all make it back okay?” Rue lightly suggests though her voice betrays her resignation and acceptance of what might possibly come their way. 

Thresh doesn’t even bother to say anything or even make a sound. He merely nods his head at each one of them, his eyes hard like steel and staring them down as if the sheer intensity of it will somehow make sure they’re all protected through his will power alone.

“And we all know where we’re going to meet up, right?” Val asks. Everyone else voices their agreement and Val smiles as encouragingly as he can, hoping it doesn’t come off as a grimace to the others. “See you all on the other side,” he says before turning away and setting off to the cornucopia.

His journey through the forest is quiet, yet swift with a sense of urgency to complete his mission as soon as he sees the signals since the subsequent loud explosion will draw the Careers away from his allies and straight to him.

Soon, he reaches his destination. Val crouches behind a bush as he cautiously watches the Careers goofing off by the cornucopia. Even though he could never begrudge anyone a silver lining in a terrible situation like this, he still feels somewhat disgusted at how carefree they were acting. Like the Hunger Games were some kind of vacation and not a free for all tournament to the death overseen by sociopathic rulers.

His musings come to an end when he sees smoke rising in the far distance. It’s grey trail thin enough to catch the Career’s attention but not thick enough to cause any alarm. He watches Kai point excitedly at it with a wide, bloodthirsty grin. Then that grin turns positively feral when a second smoke trail raises opposite of the first.

Kai, Marvel, and Amber quickly gather their weapons. Val watches as Kai directs Marvel towards one of the trails, making some vague up and down, closing fist gesture that Val has no clue what it could mean. Marvel smiles as he salutes and rushes off in the direction Kai pointed at. Val worries at his lip a bit since the trail he set off on is the one Clove and Rue set, but he knows that the two would be able to handle one measly Career. 

Then Kai gestures for Amber to follow him and the two swiftly trek towards the other smoke trail. Val’s a little more worried this time since that’s the direction leading to Katniss and Thresh and Clove said that Kai would be too arrogant to take anyone with him. He tries his best to temper his fears though, to have faith since his sister would be smart enough to leave before any Careers arrive. And if she tried to stay, that Thresh would be enough to drag her away kicking and hopefully not screaming. 

Noah is left behind to stand guard of their supplies, just like Clove anticipated.

Val fidgets a bit as he waits for the other Careers to get some distance in between and for Noah to lower his guard. Finally, after many moments, Noah sits down on a crate some distance away from the pile with his back turned to it and his spear laying loosely on his lap.

Val scans the pile, trying to look for some objects that could trigger the mines as he’d rather not try and guess which of the many, many mounds had a mine and which didn’t. Suddenly, a nearby rustling catches his attention.

Val quickly sinks back behind the bushes and peeks through to see Finch cautiously make her way towards the minefield. He holds his breath and tenses when she jumps around to various spots, seemingly at random, swiftly making her way towards the pile. Somehow, she manages to arrive at the pile and quickly snatches a small bag next to a bundle of apples. She then turns and jumps back the way she came before booking it back into the forest. Noah never notices her the entire time.

While Val is deeply impressed by Finch’s stealth, his focus mainly rests on the bundle of apples. The apples were in a net bag where just a single cut would have the whole thing tumbling down which in turn would set the mine field off. 

Perfect.

Val nocks an arrow onto his bow and draws it back. He takes a deep breath in as he aims, vision tunneling onto the strands of the net bag. He breathes out as he releases the arrow and watches as it cuts through the air and imbeds itself into a crate. He watches with bated breath as the net bag splits open and the apples tumble out, thumping their way down the crates and onto the ground.

Then everything explodes. Fire and smoke climb into the air as the pile is reduced to flame and rubble. The force of the explosion manages to knock Val flat onto his back. His ears ring as he struggles to pull himself up and shake his sudden disorientation away.

He manages to drag himself back behind the bushes just as Kai comes storming back into the clearing. Kai roars in fury at the sight of the destroyed supplies. He marches over to where a shaking Noah falls to his knees and pleads for mercy. Tears stream down his face as he continues to babble words Val can’t hear to the enraged Kai. Kai’s expression shows how little of a shit he gives to the tearful begging. His hands grasp Noah’s head and gives it a sharp twist.

Val flinches as the sound of Noah’s neck snapping echoes throughout followed by a cannon firing. Kai roars with fury again and Val’s about to run off to the rendezvous point when his mind finally register’s the Career’s appearance. Kai is no longer as clean and blemish free as he was when he first left. His face has a large bruise blooming across his jaw and his arms and torso are cut up and bleeding. Amber is not with him and there were no preceding cannon fires before he arrived.

Val pales when he realizes what this means. He quickly sets off in the direction of Katniss and Thresh’s fire. As he races through the forest, the tune of three long notes sweeps past him. He stops running to turn to the direction of the distress signal. It was coming from the direction of where Clove and Rue were. He starts running again, pumping his legs as fast as he can. His heart thumps as anxiety builds up in his stomach at the confirmation that despite everybody’s best efforts, shit has now gone completely sideways. 

And all he can do is hope to every higher power in existence that they all come out of this alive.

Katniss cackles to herself as she watches the fire burning before her. The smoke’s intensity is carefully controlled through the steady actions of Thresh who watches on. His face is still neutral but eyes betraying how unsettled he feels at the sight of his “partner” laughing like some villain from the dollar store books one of the girls, Rosaline, always liked to read when she thought none of the older kids were looking.

“We should be leaving soon. The cornucopia is not as far from us as you might think,” he calls out, cutting Katniss off mid-cackle.

She frowns as the maniacal fantasy of the glorious expression of despair on Kai’s face fades away. But she does nod as she returns to reality where the dangers of discovery and death were still very, very present.

“Alright, alright, I’m done,” she says with a wry shake of her head. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

Thresh barks out a quick laugh as they leave that has Katniss stopping to gape at him in shock. She had never heard any range of emotion from him beyond fondness for Rue and blank faced neutrality with the occasional grunt of something unidentifiable tossed in to spice things up.

“Oh my god,” she whispers out in awe, “You really aren’t a robot.”

Thresh scowls at her words which she flinches at. She quickly apologizes because even though Thresh apparently is a human with emotions, he’s still built as hell and very intimidating without any effort.

He smirks at her reaction and she immediately scowls at having been played by him of all people. She opens her mouth to retort when the sound of a snapping branch makes the two freeze in place. Their bodies tensing as the sound of two sets of footsteps get closer and closer to their location at an alarmingly quick pace.

Then before they can move, Kai and Amber burst through the trees.

Thresh and Katniss are both frozen, like deer caught within the eyesight of a hunter. Their bodies tense and ready to spring away for escape if the Careers so much as sneeze at them. Even though Katniss has her short sword drawn and Thresh is a weapon all on his own, neither one of them wants to fight, yet.

Likewise, Kai and Amber are both ready for a showdown. Their bodies tense as they look for the slightest hint of weakness or the briefest glimpse of an opening that will allow them to strike. Kai’s long sword is clenched tightly between his hands as he smiles all feral like at the two. Amber’s fists are cocked back and ready to lash out. She wears brass knuckles that are most definitely a gift in appreciation of her secret brutality. The metal glints in the sunlight and draws attention to the browned stains of blood on it.

A standoff commences as the two pairs of tributes stare each other down. 

No one moves as both sides refuse to back down and are just begging the other to give them any excuse.

Finally, Kai’s patience runs out and he charges at Katniss with a savage cry, his blade rising above his head to chop her own off. Amber takes her cue from him and rushes at Thresh with a crazed smile stretched wide across her face.

Katniss barely manages to raise her own sword in time to stop Kai’s and the clashing of blades rings out just as Thresh grunts from being knocked over by all one hundred and twenty pounds of feral crazed Amber.

Two different battles form between the pairs of tributes. 

Thresh and Amber tussle with each other. His superior strength and large body versus her berserker state of mind and flying fists. It’s an even clash where neither tribute gains any sort of ground but Thresh is still stuck holding her off as she does her best to land blow after blow on him. And while he’s never had any trouble with a smaller and weaker opponent, in a fistfight, Amber’s crazed blood lust and brass knuckles unfortunately balance things out.

Meanwhile, Katniss is stuck on the defensive, doing her best to block and parry each strike from Kai. She grits her teeth as each of Kai’s strikes grow heavier and heavier as he does his best to either knock her blade out of her hands or hack her limbs off her body. 

“What’s wrong, Everdeen?” Kai shouts as he continues to rain down blow after blow, “You can dish it out but you can’t take it?”

Katniss stumbles back a bit at one particularly strong blow. She’s quickly losing ground on her defense and Kai can smell the blood in the water. 

“Guess you really aren’t the fire cracker I thought you were,” he says with a perverse grin and all teeth showing front and center, “What a waste of a pretty face too. If only you had stayed long enough for me to tame that little spirit of yours.”

“Back the hell off you fucking pervert,” Katniss shouts back as she manages to land a blow against his sword that has him stumbling back. She’s now on the offensive as each strike manages to cut him here and there, much to his growing anger. “At least I’m not some sad little boy with insecurity issues up the wazoo and blames a dead person for all of my problems like a little whiny bitch.”

Kai growls as his strikes grow in strength and frequency. When their blades lock again, Katniss manages to shove him back and only through luck did he happen to stumble and trip over his feet. 

Katniss quickly glances over to Thresh to see that he’s still doing his best to hold Amber off. He is clearly the more uninjured of the two with only a few noticeable bruises here and there whereas Amber is starting to look closer and closer to the aftermath of a bad fist fight. However, Thresh is starting to tire at the unexpected endurance match and Amber’s still not backing down. She’s laughing psychotically in a way that raises the hairs on the back of Katniss’ neck. It’s clear that Amber is slowly losing it and given how she has yet to stop, she’s likely to bring the two of them down with her if they don’t manage to leave. Now.

‘Come on, Val,’ Katniss thinks as she glances worryingly in the direction of the cornucopia, ‘What’s the hold up?’

Was he not at the cornucopia yet? Did something happen to her brother? What if Noah had more fight in him than Clove had anticipated?

Luckily, before she could fall down into that mental rabbit hole, a cacophony of booms sound throughout the arena. Multiple explosions rock the ground, making the four of them pause to steady themselves so as to not fall over. Kai whirls around and stares in shock at the rapidly climbing smoke, fire, and spraying debris coming from the direction of the cornucopia. Even Amber’s berserker haze clears enough for her to gape as well. 

“No!” Kai cries out. He then whirls back around to face Katniss. “What the hell did you do?” he shouts out even though the answer is as clear as day.

Katniss smirks. “Knocking you all down a peg or three.”

Kai roars in fury and jabs forward with all his enraged strength. Katniss stumbles back, unprepared for his sudden attack. She tries her best to parry but the strike is too strong and he manages to stab her on the left side, barely missing her kidney. She cries out in pain and quickly raises her sword up and knocks him across the face with the pommel. 

Kai stumbles back, clutching at his face as a bruise blooms sickly blue and purple across his lower jaw. The cuts Katniss managed to make are bleeding sluggishly though he has yet to grow groggy from blood loss. 

Kai growls. “I don’t have time for this.” He turns to Amber and shouts, “I’m heading back. Make sure you finish them off.”

Amber grins in response and cackles as she redoubles her efforts to beat Thresh to a bloody pulp. Katniss watches as Kai turns and runs back to the cornucopia. She doesn’t move to follow him and can only hope that Val manages to leave before he arrives.

She turns her attention back to Thresh and Amber, the former now tiring out much faster than before and in danger of being knocked out by the psychotic Career. Katniss whips her head around until she spots a large branch on the ground. She quickly snatches it up and runs over to them. 

“Hey!” she shouts.

Amber whirls around, ready to punch the living daylights out of her only to be met with a tree branch to the face. The swing is hard enough to knock her out and break her nose for good measure.

Katniss and Thresh pant from the unexpected exertion of having to fight for their lives with two of the deadliest Careers. They take a moment to recuperate staring down at Amber’s bloody and bruised face as the adrenaline leaves their bodies.

“Let’s send out our safety signals and then get the hell out of here before she wakes up,” Katniss pants out as she wipes the sweat off her face.

Thresh grunts as he stretches out the soreness of his limbs while trying to catch his breath. Then the two freeze when a tune of three long notes travels through the air and echoes throughout the forest. They turn to the point where the signal came from and Katniss’ heart almost stops beating.

“Oh no,” she whispers, trembling slightly in fear. “Clove! Rue!”

The two immediately rush towards the location of the second fire, doing their best to ignore the feelings of anxiety and fear that encourages the adrenaline coursing through their veins. The only thought running through her mind now is the desperate hope that she and Thresh will make it in time and no one will have to die today.

Rue squirms desperately in the net she’s trapped in while Clove tries to get her out.

Everything was going fine up until this point. The two girls arrived at their intended destination and immediately set to work on building the distraction fire. They even joked around and made small talk as they did so. Then as they were leaving, Rue took a wrong step and ended up triggering an unexpected net trap that dragged her high up into the air. 

Unfortunately for them, Rue didn’t have a knife on her and Clove couldn’t climb a tree at all. Add in the fact that they were still within shouting distance of the fire and that was when the panicking began. Even though they both logically knew that the only way to get out of this situation was to keep calm, fear and desperation can do wonders in clouding someone’s judgment. Especially when soon after, Marvel appeared in the middle of Clove’s attempts to cut Rue out of the net once she managed to get it within arm’s reach.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here.” Marvel drawls out as he saunters over to them, “A traitorous bitch and a helpless fairy caught in our trap. Guess those rope lessons really did pay off in the end.”

“Back the hell off Marvel,” Clove snaps as she cuts at the ropes with renewed vigor, “We both know you don’t have the guts to kill me. You’ve never had the balls to follow through.”

She turns her back on Marvel to really add insult to injury. He snarls at her blatant disrespect. “I’ll show you balls.”

“Clove!” Rue cries out when she sees him charge full speed, “Watch out!” 

Clove whirls around as Marvel charges at her with his spear at the ready. She quickly hands off the knife to Rue and dodges as he jabs the spear at her. She keeps jumping back as he continues to jab, pushing her further and further away from Rue who’s now frantically cutting the ropes of the net. 

In between jabs, Clove does her best to defend by throwing her knives at him. But the match up is unfortunate for her in every way possible. Out of all the Careers, Marvel was the best in terms of armed combat, his long reach and flexibility allowing him to wield the spear like a god of war. And given Clove’s small build and her weapon of choice being throwing knives, it was all she could do to not get stabbed anywhere important.

Clove stumbles back onto her ass when a dodge from a particularly quick jab has her tripping over her feet. She scrambles to grab another knife to catch the spearhead and lock it in place before it could pierce through her skull.

Her arms tremble as she holds the spear in place while Marvel continues to add pressure to break her weakening hold. Clove refuses to back down though, gritting her teeth as she diverts the forward motion of the spear to the side. Marvel, quickly realizing what she’s doing, twists his spear just so and manages to get the knives flying out of her hands.

He grins viciously down at her as he points the spear at her throat. “End of the line, bitch. Any last words?”

Clove grins viciously in turn. “Yeah, I got two words for you, buddy,” she says before spitting in his face, “Now, Rue!”

Marvel snarls as he wipes at his face in fury and confusion. The momentary distraction is enough to allow Rue to jump onto his back. The little girl starts tearing and scratching at every inch of him she can reach as he thrashes about to dislodge her.

Clove scrambles up to her feet and behind Marvel who’s still clawing to get Rue off of him. 

“Come on, Rue! Let’s go,” Clove calls out frantically. 

Rue nods as she pulls up her legs to use Marvel as a springboard with the bonus of knocking him onto his face as she jumps off. Clove grabs her hand and the two run as Marvel climbs to his feet with a roar of fury. 

Clove chances a glance behind her and sees Marvel storming after them like a raging bull who won’t stop until he’s gutted his target. She watches as he pulls his arm back and launches his spear at Rue.

“No!” Clove shouts as she knocks Rue to the side. She cries out in pain when the spear slices across the side of her neck. The spear imbeds itself deeply into the tree beside them. She quickly presses a hand against the rapidly bleeding wound. Rue crouches down to help her but Clove shakes her head and quickly gets up. 

“Go, go, go!” she shouts out weakly as she pushes Rue to keep running. Rue does so, glancing fearfully at Clove before whistling out the distress signal up to the trees. The birds immediately pick up the tune, sensing the urgency behind it as it spreads through the air in a repeated wave. The girls continue to run while Marvel’s distracted trying to wrench his spear out of the tree. 

Clove doesn’t know how long or how far they’ve been running. The only thing she can think about is keeping Rue safe long enough for them to reach the others.

Finally, they reach a clearing where Katniss and Thresh burst through the trees looking around frantically for any signs of them. 

“Guys!” she cries out in relief, catching their attention.

Katniss and Thresh turn to them and they visibly sag in relief when they see Rue uninjured if only a bit scared.

“Clove! Your neck!” Katniss cries out in alarm.

“Oh this? This is nothing. Only a flesh wound,” Clove says weakly, hand still pressed tightly against the wound as she glances down to see a large portion of her shirt stained with blood.

Katniss moves to protest when Val bursts through the trees and enters the clearing. 

“Val!” Katniss cries out in relief at seeing her brother safe and uninjured though a bit dirtied up.

“Guys,” Val breaths out as the tension visibly leaves his body, “You’re alright.”

Then he gives a thorough once over of them all and immediately balks at the sight of Clove’s injury.

“Clove! Your neck!” he cries out in alarm.

“Wow you guys are really siblings. It’s like an echo chamber in here,” Clove comments weakly, growing paler by the minute. “I’ll be fine. Just gotta patch it up a bit and I’ll be right as rain.”

Val gapes at her in disbelief. “Unbelievable,” he says with a roll of her eyes. 

Clove chuckles weakly in response as he shakes his head at her. “Come on, then. We need to patch you up as soon as possible before you really do bleed out.”

And then, in accordance to Murphy’s Law, anything that could go wrong today, continued to go wrong.

Marvel bursts through the trees. They all turn and the next few moments occur in slow motion. 

Marvel pulls his arm back and aims. Katniss and Thresh rush over in an attempt to stop him but just as they reach him, he launches the spear. Val can only watch in horror as the spear flies through the air towards Rue who stands frozen in place. Clove tries to move to push Rue aside but the blood loss finally catches up to her and she collapses onto the ground. 

Val and Katniss cry out as the spear pierces through Rue’s torso. Rue looks down in disbelief as red spreads like a blooming flower across her shirt. She collapses onto the ground as Val rushes over to her. Thresh and Katniss turn their attention to Marvel and in their anger, have at him.

Marvel’s cries of pain and the sounds of breaking bones and hacked flesh echo through the air but sound only like white noise to Val’s ears as he falls to his knees beside Clove and Rue. A cannon fires but no one’s any paying attention to Marvel’s bloody and broken body. Instead, they focus their efforts on saving Clove and Rue who were both bleeding out and fading faster than any of them would like.

Katniss pulls the spear out of Rue’s body and Thresh presses his hands against her wound, doing his best to stem the rapidly flowing blood. Val desperately presses his hands against the wound on Clove’s neck, the bleeding now slowing because there isn’t much blood left to bleed.

“Come on, Clove. Don’t do this to me now,” Val says, his eyes grow wet as his hands press harder against her neck. “You don’t get to leave me like this, you knife happy kitchen menace.”

Clove smiles weakly at him. “Haven’t heard anyone call me that in a while,” she chuckles, voice sounding suspiciously wet. “Your mom always did have a way with nicknames.” She coughs, almost choking on the blood that’s now dripping out of her mouth.

“Stop talking, Clove. You need to conserve your strength,” Val says as he frantically digs around his pack for something that could double as a bandage. “Anyone got a cloth or something I can tie off like a bandage?” No response. “Anything?” he asks again, voice sounding meek as it cracks at the end. “Please?”

Katniss looks up from where she’s gently cradling Rue in her lap. She shakes her head sadly as tears trail down her face. Thresh doesn’t respond at all, continuing to murmur softly to Rue while still applying pressure on her wound.

But Val refuses to give up. He reaches out to grab another pack and roots around it with growing desperation. When he finds nothing again, he tosses it aside with a yell of frustration. Clove reaches out to place her hand over the one of her neck. Val looks to her, tears falling freely now.

“It’s okay, Val,” she says as she grips his hand tightly to move it away.

Val shakes his head as he resists, pressing back against her push. “No, it’s not,” he says tearfully, “It’s not okay, Clove.” He bows his head down towards her as he wipes away the tears with his free hand, streaking his face with her blood. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out, “I’m so sorry that I never came back for you.”

She shakes her head at him. “You don’t have to apologize.”

He tries to protest. “But-”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Clove snaps back as sharply as one in her condition can. Then her tone softens, “Don’t you ever apologize because there’s nothing for me to forgive.” She smiles cheekily at him. “You know I’m not the type of girl who’s gonna wait around for her knight in shining armor.”

Val snorts at that. “Yeah. You’re the hero of your own story. I’ve always just been along for the ride.”

“Damn right I am and damn right you are, lightning rod,” she says with a teasing lit.

He scowls at her. “I thought you’d stop calling me that after all this time.”

“Ha! Never. Not as long as you continue to act like one, in fact,” she trails off as she shifts her head enough to look at Katniss. “Hey Katniss!”

“Yeah?” Katniss calls back, turning towards them with the expression of one desperately trying and failing to hold themselves together. “Whatcha need, Clove?”

“Make sure you look after him for me, alright?” Clove says as her smile grows more weak and strained. “He has a tendency to be self-sacrificing to such a degree that it’s terrible for his health and he’s got a heart much too big and soft for this world. He’ll need twenty four seven supervision if he’s ever going to live past twenty. Can you do that for me?”

Katniss chuckles back a fresh wave of tears as she nods. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

“You know I don’t need a babysitter, Clove,” Val gently admonishes, unable to find the will to actually be indignant at her.

Clove somehow manages to smile widely, her face almost completely pale from blood loss. “You know that’s not what I mean. I’m just looking out for you, just like you’ve always looked out for me so...take care of yourself...Cato...”

Her words grow weak at the end. The blood loss is too much and her eyes flutter shut.

“No! No! Clove! Come on! Stay with me!” Val shouts desperately as he checks for her pulse. “Come on, wonder girl. Stay awake! Who else am I supposed to rag about terrible adults with? Who else is gonna drag me into every conflict she sees and has to rectify without even knowing the full context!” He finds a pulse but it’s weak and fading with each passing moment. “Who else is going to be my best friend in the whole wide world for the rest of time and all eternity, protest now or forever hold my peace?” he asks, voice quiet as a whisper as Clove slowly goes limp in his grasp.

He gathers Clove into his arms and holds her tightly as the tears flow earnestly and he clenches his jaw so tightly his teeth might be cracking. Katniss can only watch helplessly nearby as her brother clutches the dying body of the best friend he had only just reunited with. She looks away and turns her attention back to Rue, bitterly thinking about how cruel the world can be. 

“Katniss,” Rue says, her voice so weak it comes out as a whisper.

“Yes, Rue?” she responds just as quietly.

“Would you sing for me?” Rue asks, smiling sweetly with eyes wide and innocent as can be despite the still bleeding wound on her torso.

Thresh gasps softly to himself at her request, catching Katniss’ attention. His lip trembles faintly and his tight press on her wound is slowly released with shaking hands. He closes his eyes and looks away, but still reaches out a hand to clutch one of Rue’s tightly. Katniss’ heart sinks when she realizes what this means. A hand reaches out to lightly touch her cheek. She turns her attention back to Rue who’s still looking at her with such an innocent yet heartbreaking expression.

“Can you sing for me? Please?” Rue asks again, her voice still quiet and it trembles slightly, but her eyes are full of acceptance.

Katniss can only nod to her request. What else can she do but comply?

“Alright,” she agrees, trying her best to keep the tremor out of her voice and the tears from starting anew. “There’s this lullaby that Prim always loved to hear me sing. You heard a bit of it when I was picking out my safety signal yesterday.”

Rue’s smile grows even wider at that. “Really? I’d love to hear it. It sounds like a really pretty song.”

Katniss chokes on her tears, no longer able to hold them back anymore. Rue turns her gaze to Clove who’s still clutched tightly in Val’s arms. She reaches a hand out towards them, catching Val’s attention who watches, bleary eyed, as Rue’s hand grabs Clove’s and holds it as tightly as she can. Somehow, even when unconscious, Clove’s hand grips tightly back in response. Rue turns her gaze up towards the sun that shines down through the trees.

Then Katniss begins to sing.

“Little girl running through fields of golden grass,  
Flowers of all colors twirl around you.  
The winds dance joyfully beside you,  
The sun paints the light blue sky,  
With the eternal colors of its rise.”

Val gently loosens his grip on Clove while Katniss does the same with hers on Rue. The siblings maneuver the two girls until they’re lying side by side, next to each other.

“Know that you are safe here,  
Know that you are loved here,  
With my arms wrapped gently around you.”

The rise and fall of Clove’s chest grows slower and shallower. Rue’s eyes grow bleary as Katniss’s voice slowly becomes a gentle melody of white noise. Thresh let’s go of his death grip on Rue’s hand and instead clenches his fists tightly as tears roll down his face. Val bows his head as he holds a hand up to his mouth to cover the sounds of his cries. Katniss chokes back her tears as she struggles to finish the song.

“And even when they’re not,  
Even when I’m not here beside you,  
Even when you’ve gone somewhere that I can’t reach you,  
As long as you continue to run,  
Through the flower fields of this eternal dawn,  
You will always be happy, be safe, be warm,  
In this golden field of your dreams forevermore.”

As the final notes of the song rings out, Clove’s chest stops moving and Rue’s eyes close. As the final note of the song fades away, two cannons fire, one after the other. 

Katniss cries in earnest once she sees that Rue’s no longer breathing. She clutches her head as she rocks back and forth, Rue’s blood leaving streaks behind in her hair.

Val screams as he slams his fists into the ground. His hands become bloody and bruised with each strike. The tears fall down his face without an end in sight.

Thresh makes no sounds as the tears fall. He merely clenches his fists so tightly that blood drips between his fingers.

Finally, the tears do stop. And all that is left is a feeling of numbness as Val and Katniss stare down at the sight of Clove and Rue still clutching each other’s hands tightly as if to say not even death could separate the two sisters in all but blood.

Suddenly, Thresh stands. The siblings watch as he marches over to a tree and, without warning, punches a hole into it with a shout of rage. He stands there for a moment, not a single muscle twitching. Then he retracts his fist, somehow still intact with only a few scrapes and bruises and a hole in a tree as evidence for what he just did. He moves to leave.

“Where are you going?” Val asks, somehow managing to get his voice back though it’s hoarse from all the screaming and crying.

Thresh pauses in his tracks. For a moment, Val thinks he’s just going to leave without an answer.

“I can’t stay here anymore,” Thresh finally says. His back is still turned to them.

Val’s brow furrows in confusion. “What do you mean you can’t stay here?”

“I mean I can’t stay here and do nothing,” Thresh responds, “We may have crippled the Careers, but they’re not out for the count yet.”

For a moment, Val’s confusion persists. Then a light bulb goes off in his head as it all clicks.

“W-wait a moment,” he sputters out in disbelief, “If you’re doing what I think you’re doing, then I’d like you to know that what you’re doing is basically a suicide mission.”

Thresh shrugs. “I only survived long enough to ensure that Rue would.” Then he squares his shoulders with resigned resolve. “Now that she’s dead...” 

He shakes his head. “The alliance is over anyways.” He turns to look over his shoulder at the siblings. “Thank you though, for everything you’ve done for her,” he says sincerely, “It’s more than she would’ve gotten.”

Then he turns away and leaves the clearing without a second glance. 

Val and Katniss just kind of sit there, next to the cold bodies of their dead friends, not really knowing what to do now.

“We should clean them up,” Katniss says suddenly, breaking Val out of the dazed state he had slowly fallen back into again.

He nods. “Yeah, we should. Maybe even put a few flowers down for good measure.”

She smiles weakly at him. “It’s a plan.”

The siblings, albeit a bit shaky in the knees. Katniss almost falls over because her legs had gone numb from where she’d been kneeling beside Rue. Val catches her but almost falls over himself because of how weak he feels as well, like the strength to do anything had left when Clove did.

They stand there for a while, just holding each other, supporting the other and doing their best to hold back their grief for later.

Finally, after what feels like years but was really only a few minutes, the two separate and go forth on their separate missions. Val meanders over to a nearby field of flowers that sway gently in the breeze. There were a surprisingly large variety of flowers of all colors and species in the field. It was the one time Val was glad that the Game Makers had a hand in creating the arena. 

He takes out a knife, one of Clove’s that had still been in her hands, and carefully cuts away bundles upon bundles of flowers. Alstroemeria for an enduring friendship that managed to last the separation of distance and time. Freesia for unconditional love for his best friend and the surrogate sister he’d only known for two weeks. Hydrangea for gratitude, grace, and beauty of two girls who were taken from this world much too soon. Lisianthus for appreciation and gratitude, a thank you for all that they’ve done for him. 

Meanwhile, Katniss rifles through one of the backpacks and pulls out a water bottle and a spare shirt. She wets the shirt with the water and gently wipes away the blood from Clove and Rue’s faces. The blood wipes away with little resistance until finally their faces are clean. Katniss is silently thankful that neither girl has any bruises in visible places. She didn’t know if she’d be able to stand looking at the dark splotches of color stand out on their cold skin.

After she finishes cleaning away the blood, she straightens out their clothes, making them neat and tidy. She never moves them though, not having the heart to break apart the hands that still clutch the other as they lie on their sides, facing each other with gentle smiles still on their faces. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think that the two were just...taking a nap and soon Rue would wake up and ask her for a song while Clove would wait until Katniss was closer before springing up with a shout just to scare the crap out of her.

Katniss pauses for a bit, blinking her eyes rapidly to hold back the tears that were threatening to gather and fall again. Val walks back with armfuls of flowers that he places between them as he silently waits for Katniss to gather herself again. He lays a hand on her shoulder and squeezes it to provide even a modicum of comfort.

They each grab a bundle of flowers and begin placing them on and around the two girls. As they do so, Val opens his mouth and speaks. In a solemn tone and steady voice, he recites the entirety of the last rites poem he read what felt like ages ago, in the District 12 library. The poem that along with a salute and a song, had long faded away from recent memory but the meaning of which can never be forgotten.

“Carried through many nations and over many seas, I arrive, sisters, for these wretched funeral rites, so that I might present you with the last tribute of death, and speak in vain to silent ash, since fortune has carried you, yourself, away from me.”

Katniss chokes back a sob that threatens to rip itself out of her throat as she places the flowers around them like a pillow of soft colors. Val places his on their wounds, making sure to cover their neck and torso so it’s almost like they were never hurt in the first place. The last few flowers, the siblings place under their clasped hands. Then they step back.

“Alas, poor sisters, unfairly taken away from me, now in the meantime, nevertheless, these things which in the ancient custom of ancestors, are handed over as a sad tribute to the rites, receive, dripping much with familial weeping,” he says as Katniss reaches out to grab his hand. The siblings are locked in a trance as they look down at the colorful grave of their friends.

Rue and Clove lie on a bed of flowers, hands locked together and expressions soft and peaceful. Flowers curl artfully around Clove’s neck and pile gracefully on Rue’s torso. Their interlocked hands framed by a few of each of the different flowers that were cut. They look like two sisters, holding each other peacefully in their sleep, locked together in an eternal embrace that nothing can break apart. They look innocent. They look young. Too young to have died the way they did in the place they did.

The whirling of an engine catches Val and Katniss’ attention. They look up in the sky to see a large hovercraft approaching. The siblings quickly leave, not wanting to deal with anyone from the Capitol or see the bodies of their friends taken away by the ones who killed them. Because even though Marvel was the one to throw the spear, the Capitol was the one who put that spear in his hands.

Once the siblings are a safe distance away, they watch as the hovercraft lowers itself over where Rue and Clove were. A few moments of silence pass before Val opens his mouth and speaks. 

Katniss’ grip on his hand tightens as the tears flow again. Val grips her hand back just as tightly as a solitary tear trails down his cheek.

The hovercraft turns as it slowly lifts up into the sky, its task completed. The siblings stand vigil and watch as it flies away. Katniss lifts three fingers of her right hand up to her lips as Val does the same with his left. They lift their hands out in salute as the hovercraft fades into the distance and Val finishes reciting the poem.

“And forever, sisters,” he speaks with a tone of finality. Katniss’ voice rings out besides his own as they lower their raised hands. The sun sets, casting a looming shadow over the siblings.

“Ave atque vale.”

“Hail and farewell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roll credits! And a cookie for anyone who got that reference. So? How was it? Was it an emotional roller coaster cause that was what I was trying to go for. Also, I didn’t feel like flipping through a shit ton of songs to look for one that’d be appropriate for the dying scene and to be honest, I thought “Deep in the Meadow” did not sound great at all in the movie. So I decided to try writing a song that’s definitely more like a poem cause I don’t got a creative musical bone in my body and I really wanted to write something that would be more appropriate instead of using someone else’s words to fit a mold it might not be able to naturally fit into. 
> 
> Hope this chapter was alright, that it didn’t bore anyone, and was worth the wait. Now things are gonna be picking up cause we only got three more chapters left before completion! So until next time!


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